Victim of a Circumstance
by kaytay89
Summary: Hermione has a baby with Draco Malfoy. But when her parents can no longer take care of the baby, they strike a deal with Dumbledore to keep him at Hogwarts. So now Draco gets to meet Hermione's brother. So why doesn't Draco know he fathered a son?
1. How It Came To Be

Disclaimer: I only own the plot.

**Prologue**

**How It Came To Be**

Every member of the Hogwarts staff knew of my predicament. Even Snape. But not one member of the student body, save one other and me, knew. Not even _him_.

The "he" I am referring to, of course, is the man who got me into this situation. The boy who teased me and my friends for six years, the boy I slapped three years ago, the boy who's memory was erased so he wouldn't know of what he did to me.

Draco Malfoy.

He was the son of a renowned Death Eater. One who was found innocent of all his crimes, being that it was proven he was under the Imperious Curse, a situation I entirely believe after what happened a year ago, much to my best friends' chagrin.

Of course the man still acted that way in public, for if he didn't he would be tortured and his family killed.

Last year for Christmas my parents mailed an unknown amount of money to Dumbledore to by me a pensieve. They did this to help me, for one day I WILL tell Draco Malfoy the truth. It just won't be anytime soon.

Naturally, when my parents heard that a fellow student had raped me, my father immediately wanted to kill him. But when I explained the situation to him, he completely understood.

But that understanding was soon strayed four months later when I went to Madame Pomfrey and found out the consequences of Draco's actions; I was pregnant.

My parents were disappointed at first, though of course not at me. This might have the chance to ruin my future. But I was determined to have this baby and raise it. My parents saw how resolute I was and bowed their heads to my decision.

The rest of the year I was under a concealment charm so no one would notice. The only other student who knew of this entire development was my best girlfriend (not in a romantic way, I'm not looking in that direction), Ginny Weasley.

She had found me crying in the library the day I had found out about the baby and had immediately offered me a shoulder to cry on. I told her everything, and she became my confidant, the only one who knew that was young enough and close enough that I wouldn't mind pouring my heart out to.

Being that the war had ended, the Weasley's were okay with it when I asked if Ginny could stay with my for the beginning of summer break. I told her parents that I was expecting a baby brother sometime soon and needed a friend around while my parents got the baby settled. They objected at first, saying that it should be a family event. But when I insisted, saying that my parents wouldn't have a lot of time for me at the start and I needed someone to hang out with, they relented.

My parents had already bought most of the things I needed by the time I came home. But my mother did take us out two days later to buy some clothes. Ginny remarked on how weird muggle baby clothing looked like.

It was hardly a week after school let out that I went into labor. I woke up in the middle of the night to find that my water had broken. My parents rushed me to the hospital, and two hours later I was holding a beautiful baby boy in my arms.

"What do you want to name him?" the nurse asked smiling.

I thought for a moment, looking at his beautiful blond curls, and then said, "Josh. His name will be Josh."

My parents then stepped out of the room along with the nurse, leaving only me, Ginny and Josh in the room.

"He looks just like his father," I whispered.

"Yeah" said Ginny, agreeing softly. "It will be amazing if Malfoy doesn't figure it out just by first looks."

Josh then opened his eyes, showing me what color they were. "Blue" I said. "Malfoy's eyes were gray with blue specks. He really _is_ his father's son."

Ginny then sat down on a chair next to my bed and looked at me intently. "Are you going to tell him? Ever? Josh _is_ half his, you know."

I looked up at her. "I think if I ever do tell him, it won't be soon. I may not know him very well, but I _do_ know that he holds the Malfoy rule with honor; never to physically hurt a woman. He'd hate himself if he ever knew, even if it WAS me."

Ginny nodded, understanding. "Maybe someday the opportunity will arise. He has to know Hermione, whether it be now or years from now, he has to know."

I smiled to her. "I know Ginny. And when the perfect opportunity shows itself, I'll tell him. That's what I have a pensieve for."

Ginny smiled back.

The next day I was released from the hospital, along with Josh who was proclaimed in perfect health.

Ginny stayed for another three weeks. She would help me change him and take care of him. Sometimes she would even rock him to sleep for his nap. She really became the perfect aunt figure, even referring to herself as "aunt Ginny."

My parents helped out as well, showing me shortcuts they had learned when I was a baby. My mother taught me songs she had sung to me, making me fall asleep.

I only breast fed for about a week; it didn't seem like enough to fill him up. I soon resorted to formula, and he became happier. He was picky about what temperature it would be, though. It had to be exactly right before he would drink it.

He certainly was a Malfoy.

Just after his two-month birthday, I was asked over to the Weasley's. I said that I was quite busy with my "baby brother", and so could only come over during the day. They said this would be fine, and to bring him along if my mother could part with him. Since my mother had started going back to work after she knew I could handle myself, I agreed.

I had learned to apparate at the end of sixth year, and so I apparated with Josh in my arms over to their house. I smiled as I walked up to the door, seeing how it hadn't changed a bit.

The door was opened by Ginny, who greeted Josh, who smiled, recognizing her. Ron then came bounding into the room and gave me a large hug, followed by Harry who was now living his summers at their house.

"Is this him?" Ron asked walking over to Ginny who was now holding Josh.

"Yep, this is Josh" I answered. I had nearly said "my baby, Josh." Ron then gently picked him up and greeted him.

Harry followed suite and said, "hey little thing, you're pretty cute."

"He better be" I said smiling. "My mother keeps complaining about all of the symptoms she had while carrying him." I must be more Slytherin that I thought; lying like this was pretty easy.

"Why does he have blond hair though?" Harry asked looking down at Josh, studying him.

"Yeah" said Ron with a slight snort. "He looks kind of like Malfoy."

He and Harry started laughing, and, after a glance at each other, Ginny and I joined in nervously.

"No, he-he's a Granger." So it wasn't a complete lie, he WAS half mine.

"Come on, lets show him to the rest of the herd" said Ginny, getting off of that topic. I smiled gratefully to her, a look she returned.


	2. Going Back

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO REVIEWED!

Disclaimer: I only own the plot.

**Chapter One**

**Going Back**

Three weeks before school was to start I got my Hogwarts letter, though it was quite a bit thicker than usual. Opening it, I screamed in excitement as I found the silver gleaming badge that had the words "HEAD GIRL" printed on it.

Hearing this noise from his mother, Josh started crying from where he was laying in his crib. I quickly walked over and picked him up.

"I'm sorry sweetheart. I didn't mean to scare you."

I heard knocking on my bedroom door and it opened to reveal my mother standing there. "What's going on?" she asked.

"I made Head Girl," I said.

"Oh congratulations hunny" she said giving me a hug as best as she could with Josh in my arms. "Why don't you let me take him and you can read your letter."

"Thanks mom."

She took Josh from my arms and exited the room, leaving me to sit on my bed and take out the letter that had been waiting there for me. Only there were three pieces of parchment. One was the annual letter that said I had been given the post of Head Girl. The next one was a list of books I would need, which I would buy the following week with the Weasleys. The final one was a letter from Dumbledore himself.

_Dear Miss Granger,_

_I would like to congratulate you on receiving the position of this year's Head Girl._

_I also believed, under the circumstances, that it would be best to go against tradition and tell you who this year's Head Boy is before you enter the Head's Compartment of the Hogwarts Express. This year's Head Boy was chosen to be Draco Malfoy._

_Now this is not the staff's choice to antagonize you; we do not chose who gets these positions. They are given to the boy and girl with the highest grades, and this just happened to be the both of you. If this presents any problems, please let me know._

_Sincerely,_

_Albus Dumbledore_

_Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

I sighed as I refolded the letter and placed it on the nightstand next to my bed. Being the Head Girl alongside Malfoy was an emotional thing.

But fortunately, I was able to overcome this. Malfoy would be his normal annoying self and I would just put up with it like I had for all of these years, and act like nothing was wrong.

Walking downstairs, I went into the living room to find my father holding Josh and pointing things out in a little child's picture book.

I smiled as I watched him. He had on his reading glasses at the end of his nose and his head was slightly tipped back.

"What are you looking at?" he asked giving me a kidding glare once he realized I was there.

"Nothing" I said holding back a grin. "I was just enjoying the show."

He shook his head and went back to what he was doing.

I smiled and turned around, heading for the kitchen. My mother was in there with her apron on, cooking supper. She glanced back once she heard me enter.

"Hey sweetie. I was just cooking up the ground beef for the enchiladas we're having for supper. What was your letter about?"

"Oh, it was just school stuff. Dumbledore wrote me, though. He's says Malfoy is going to be the Head Boy this year."

My mother stopped what she was doing and turned to look at me. "Are you okay with that?"

"I'll be fine. I'm trying to take it like an adult. He doesn't know, so it will just be like every year, only we'll be spending more time with each other."

My mother nodded, then turned back to her cooking. "Why don't you set the table?"

The day I went back to school made me sad, happy, and nervous all at the same time. My parents took me to King's Cross Station like they did every year.

I carried Josh inside until we came close to Platform 9¾, then I kissed him on the forehead and handed him over to my mother. "I'll miss you little guy." I then hugged my parents and made my way onto the platform.

Harry, Ron and Ginny were all waiting for me when I came out on the other side.

"Hey Hermione!" they greeted, each taking a turn to hug me.

"Hey guys, how did your summers go after I left?"

They all started filling me in. I had owled them not long after I had finished talking to my mother the other day to tell them that I had made Head Girl, so they weren't surprised when I stood up to go the Head's compartment.

I saw many of my old friends on the way to the Head's compartment, and we greeted and gave a short "glad to see you" before I continued on my way.

I stopped when I finally reached the Head's compartment and took a deep breath. Here it is, the beginning of my last year where I will spend all of my time with the man who doesn't even know he's the father of my child. Slowly, I opened the door.

And there he was, the almightily king himself, watching out of the window as the scenery passed by. Wonder what he was thinking so hard about; he hadn't even acknowledged that I had entered the door.

"Malfoy" I said sitting across from him.

He finally looked over, surprised that I had entered without him knowing. "Granger" he said nodding, then turning back to the window.

Yeah, we'll sure get a lot done like this.

It wasn't long until we had the prefect meeting, which went smoother than I thought. Malfoy just said what he was supposed to say and then sat down just observing.

We had our own Head carriage back to the school, and again we were silent.

Now let me tell you, it's always been hard enough to be in the same room as him ever since what happened, but to sit so close to him and have him silent is just plain horrible.

I couldn't decide when I should tell him. Should I tell him sometime soon, while we're on duty, or should I wait until towards the end of the year? Maybe I should even wait until we're out of school, when we both have steady jobs to both support ourselves and Josh.

What would he do then? Would he be a gentleman and marry me, like they would have done in old times? Would we just move in together so we can both be there for the baby? Or would we each have partial custody? One or two weeks he's with me, and then the next round with Malfoy?

Oh, I was getting a headache. It must have shown because I could hear Malfoy interrupt my thoughts saying, "Are you going to be sick? 'Cause if you're going to be sick, could you exit the carriage first?"

I looked over at him and glared. "I'm not going to be sick. I'm just tired; worn out."

He snorted. "Why would you be worn out? Too much studying?"

Just because his parents were on the light side didn't mean that Draco Malfoy was suddenly going to turn into the sweet, handsome rich boy everyone wanted overnight. He still had his attitude.

"No, as a matter of fact. My parents had a baby this summer. I didn't get as much sleep as I could have since I was helping take care of him."

Great Merlin, this lying stuff just comes easier and easier.

He looked at me strangely. "You're seventeen years old. Aren't your parents a little old to be having babies?"

I quickly thought up some kind of excuse. "Last year while I was at school they sort of 're-found their love'. I guess Josh was just a result of that."

It wasn't completely a lie; my parents had re-found their love for each other when they went on a second honeymoon in April.

Malfoy just turned and started staring out of the window again.

After the welcoming feast Dumbledore showed us to our new common room that Malfoy and I would share. Malfoy claimed he was tired and went up to his room.

"Miss Granger, if I may have a word" he said.

I turned and gave him my full attention.

"Did everything go well this summer?" he asked looking at me over his half-moon spectacles.

I smiled and said, "yes, it was a boy, named Josh." We had to keep our conversation airy like this, just in case Malfoy heard anything. "He's so beautiful. Looks just like his dad."

"That's wonderful," he said smiling. "What has become of him since you came to school?"

"A neighbor of ours will take care of him while my parents are at work. She's forty-five years old and lives alone, but she just loves Josh."

"That's good. I must be off now, take care." he turned and made his way to the portrait that opened to our rooms. But before he opened it, he turned around and said, "and Miss Granger, do know that when he does find out, he will be upset at first, just because of his morals. But he _will_ step up to take responsibility."

I smiled to him.


	3. The News and A New Project

**Chapter Two**

**The News and A New Project**

Classes started just like normal. The first morning back Malfoy and I got ready in our own separate bathrooms, went down to breakfast and then went to classes where we sat in different places throughout the room. So all in all, it wasn't very uncomfortable.

But that was about to change.

Two weeks into the school year, a note came flying through the door and hit McGonagall right in the face. The entire class started cracking up, and wouldn't stop until McGonagall finally glared at us.

She opened it and read it, then turned towards me and said, "Miss Granger, the Headmaster needs to see you in his office."

_What on Earth would he need to see me for?_ I couldn't help but think as I walked out of the classroom.

_Oh Merlin! Josh!_

I then started running. _Please let him be okay, please let him be okay._

By the time I had rounded the corner leading to his office, I could barely gasp out the password. The gargoyle jumped out of the way just in time before I could hit it, and I banged on Dumbledore's door.

"Come in" he said.

Running in, I started rambling on trying to find out what was happening. "Is this about Josh? Is he okay? Is he hurt?"

"Miss Granger, Miss Granger, calm down, everything's fine. This is about Josh but he is perfectly fine."

I took a deep breath and sat down at the chair in front of his desk.

"I have just received a letter from your mother. Your neighbor, Mrs. Kwilly, had a heart attack the other night. Your parents say she is all right, but she will be unable to take care of your son during the day.

"Unfortunately, this put your parents in a predicament. Your mother has been taking time off of work to take care of him, but they are backing up in appointments. So she mailed me to make a proposition."

I looked at him curiously. How could Dumbledore help?

"She has told me of a muggle school tradition where they teach their students what it is like to have a child. She proposes that she brings Josh here and we start a project where all seventh year students are paired up and will have fake babies, only yours will be real."

"That could work," I said thinking about it. "Then I won't miss many of his first's, and I'll be able to spend time with him" I said starting to smile very largely.

Dumbledore smiled back. "I thought you would like this idea. You can tell whomever you want that the child is your 'brother' as I have heard is your cover. But Miss Granger, there is something else." At this his smile dropped and he looked at me seriously.

I looked back to him curiously. What else could there be?

"I thought, that under the circumstances, your partner should be Mister Malfoy."

Oh, _that_ something else.

I sighed and looked to him just as seriously. "As much as I hate to admit it, I think you're right. It probably _would_ be the best thing. Especially after he finds out."

"So you are not going to tell him once Josh gets here?"

"It's such a serious matter, I think I should wait until the right time. It has to be the right moment; there is so much emotional turmoil he is going to go through."

He nodded to me. "Wise words. And I think you are right. Josh will be here tomorrow evening. I have scheduled a private carriage ride for you to meet your mother in Hogsmeade. She will have to leave immediately afterwards; as you know muggles cannot enter Hogwarts."

I nodded to him, then smiled. "Thank you Professor. This means a lot."

He smiled back. "Tonight at dinner I shall tell the student body of this project. Would you like me to inform them that your brother is coming?"

"I think it would be best. Then they would know how this project suddenly came about."

"Then I shall inform them. It might do well for you to tell Mister Malfoy of this beforehand, since you both are Heads and are going to be paired for this project."

"Alright. I'll tell him when we both go to our rooms before dinner."

"Thank you for coming Miss Granger. I believe you should return to your class now."

Telling Malfoy was easier said than done. First of all, he shows up later than usual back to the dorm, then when I go knocking on his door I hear the shower running, so I have to wait a little longer. When I finally heard the shower go off, I walked over and knocked. I quickly realized my mistake of not waiting a little longer when he opened the door with nothing but a towel hanging dangerously low on his hips.

"Can I help you?" he asked.

Nervously trying to keep my eyes off of him, I said, "I need to talk to you before dinner, but I think I'll wait in the common room while you put some clothes on.

He gave a slight smirk and said, "don't like what you see Granger? Too bad. I'll be down in a couple of minutes." He then shut his door in my face.

Walking down the stairs, I couldn't help but mutter aloud, "it's not like I haven't seen it all before."

It was barely five minutes before he came sauntering down the staircase and sat in the couch across from the one I was sitting in.

"Well?" he said looking at me lazily.

"As you saw, I got called to Professor Dumbledore's office today during Transfigurations. He informed me that, do to a few circumstances, Josh is going to come and stay with me here."

"Who's Josh?" Malfoy asked with his eyebrows knitted.

"Th-the baby brother I told you about. The babysitter my parents had can't take care of him anymore, so they decided I should take care of him."

"But won't they miss him? I mean, they're his parents. And besides, you go to school during the day."

Oh boy, hadn't thought of that. "Um, they-uh-they thought it would be good if I spent some time with him. When they informed Dumbledore about this, they told him of this special class that some muggles take, learning how to take care of children. So now Dumbledore is going to have the sevenths years participate in this project where we will all take care of babies. Everyone else's will be fake, but mine will be real. He also thought, that since we're the Heads, we should be paired up together."

Malfoy was just sitting there staring at me. And, to be frank, it was really starting to get uncomfortable.

"Um, can you say something?"

He sat there for a moment longer, then said, "so we are going to be taking care of this baby for probably the rest of the year acting as if we're his parents."

_Well, I won't be acting, but-_ "Yes. Dumbledore's going to announce it to the rest of the students tonight after dinner. He thought I should tell you first."

Malfoy just shook his head. "Well, this is going to be interesting."

Telling the rest of the students went surprisingly well. But then it came time to revealing who the partners were.

No one was surprised when Malfoy and I were the first pair to be announced, but there were still a few grumbles at two of the four tables. But then Harry was paired with Pansy. THAT got a few people shouting.

Unfortunately, the shouting continued until it had to be stopped by Dumbledore, who yelled to get everyone's attention. Most other people were paired with others from different houses, including Malfoy's best friend Blaise Zabini, who was paired with Lavender Brown, and Ron was paired with a Slytherin named Christina Vuliaire.

"You and your partners will share a small dorm along with your children on the same floor as the Heads. During the days your 'children' will be taken care of in a special daycare center set up on the floor beneath you. The people working there are specially trained. You will drop off your baby before you leave for class, and you will pick them up right after your last class ends.

"You will also share a room with your child and partner, to NO complaints" he added loudly, just as the rumble was about to rise. "Though, you WILL sleep in separate beds. I expect you to act like mature adults in these situations.

"Tomorrow night after dinner you will have a spell placed on you, and from that spell will come your child, who will be about three months old. Then you will go to your new dorms and start on the project. But for now, everything will stay the same as normal. Dismissed!"


	4. The Start

Disclaimer: I only own the plot.

**Chapter Three**

**The Start**

The next day I was informed by a piece of parchment on our bulletin board that the Hogwarts Express would be bringing my mother exactly fifteen minutes before the feast that evening ended. That would give me enough time to go there, talk to her for a minute or two, and then bring Josh here.

The night before I had hardly slept a wink thinking of how happy I was that Josh was coming here. Then my thoughts turned to Malfoy seeing him. I wonder how he would act around him? He was supposed to treat him like a son, a fact Dumbledore had stressed at dinner. But would he treat him differently, thinking that he was a mudblood just like me?

I seriously wanted to tell Malfoy the truth; he deserved it. But I was going to stick by my resolution and only tell him when the time was right.

The whole day none of the seventh years were paying any attention in class; we were all too busy thinking about the project and our children. Malfoy had not said a word to me since last night, though this was hardly out of his new normal self. Ever since Voldemort had been defeated towards the beginning of sixth year, he had changed, no longer needing to hold up the pretense that Malfoys were cold people who thought everyone was below them.

By the time dinner had started hardly anyone could eat in anticipation. Well, except for Ron. Some people were dreading this project, thinking that taking care of a three month old baby would be a waste of their time. But some people, including every single girl, thought this would be exciting. Babies were cute, right?

Well take it from me, they're cute when they're playing with their toys and have a smile on their face, but when they start crying and waking you up in the middle of the night, they are certainly not as cute. But you still love them to death.

About twenty-five minutes until the feast would end, and ten before the train would come in, I stepped out of the Great Hall and down to the awaiting carriage. The ride to Hogsmeade took up most of that ten minutes, but I still had a little time before the train came rumbling in.

I started running down the length of it, trying to find where my mother and Josh had been seated. It wasn't long before I saw them exiting up ahead of me, and I ran faster.

"Hello Hermione" my mother said once I started hugging her. "I can't tell you how much this little guy has missed you. He keeps wondering where you are at."

I then looked down to see a smiling Josh looking up at me, holding out his arms for me to pick him up. I complied happily, laughing as he lightly tugged on my hair when I hugged him.

"Oh I missed you too little one. You don't even know how much."

My mother smiled and handed over a baby bag. "I was wondering if you would like my idea of having him here with you."

"All I could think about was how happy I was that I wouldn't be missing so much of his life."

"And _he_ won't either."

I looked down for a moment. "No he won't, which will be a good thing in the end. But it will still be a while before I tell him."

My mother nodded. "I understand." She looked behind her to the train. "I need to be going. You take good care. Maybe you can make that boy act like the father he doesn't know he his."

I joined in her laughing. "Bye mum, I'll see you at Christmas."

"Goodbye" she said kissing my forehead. "Goodbye Josh" she said giving him the same acknowledgement. "I'll see you," she said with a smile as she got back onto the train.

But before she got on, I was struck with a question. "Mum, how did you get onto Platform 9¾?"

"Dumbledore mailed me and told me that he would allow the barrier to open just for the two of us. Now I have to go."

"Bye!"

When the train started pulling out, I went back over to the carriage, and carefully pulled myself up with Josh in my arms.

"You're going to stay with me Josh. And you'll finally get to meet your father." Josh was currently sitting in my lap barely holding his head up; an action he had just learned. His hand was holding a small doll my parents had bought in another country on their trip last year. He wasn't hearing a word I was saying. But I didn't care, because_ I_ knew what I was saying, and it was the truth.

By the time I walked into the Great Hall the feast was over, and the four house tables were completely gone. Instead, just like the Yule Ball, there were many separate round tables where partners were sitting with each other. I quickly found Malfoy who was sitting with Blaise, Pansy, Christina Vuliaire, Lavender Brown, and a very unhappy Harry and Ron. Quickly I took my seat beside Malfoy and watched as the couples went up and had a spell put on them, making a baby appear on the floor in front of their feet.

Pansy, Christina, and Lavender were all having a surprisingly pleasant conversation by the time I reached them, which soon ended as all of the occupants of the table looked up as I sat down.

"Is this him?" Malfoy asked with one eyebrow up.

"Yes" I said quietly as I sat him on my lap and placed my arms around him. Josh was barely holding onto consciousness and was about to fall asleep.

"Granger, are you sure?" he asked looking at Josh curiously.

"Malfoy, don't you think I would know my own brother?"

"He has blond hair and blue eyes, none of which you have." Malfoy wouldn't have been able to notice Josh's hair if his hat he had been wearing hadn't slipped the tiniest bit to show a large chunk of hair.

"Oh, uh, he gets them from the father's side of the family. They're traits I never inherited." It was easier to lie when you just slid around the truth. I was coming to a fast realization of this.

"Yeah Malfoy, he looks kind of like you" said Blaise, mimicking what Ron had said the first time he had met Josh.

Malfoy gave a short laugh. "Well that's not possible. Granger and I have never gotten THAT far."

I looked at him coldly. "We've never gotten _anywhere_ Malfoy."

He gave no reply and simply kept staring at Josh. Sensing someone looking at him, Josh slowly turned his sleepy eyes to look at Malfoy.

Having this eye-to-eye contact made Malfoy move back a little bit. But then, without looking away from Josh, he asked me, "can I hold him?"

It was a weird question, I don't have the faintest idea why, maybe it was just because he was Malfoy. But ignoring that, I granted his wish. "Yes. Just be careful of his head; he's really tired.

He nodded as he held his arms out to me. I put my hands under Josh's arms and picked him up and sat him down on Malfoy's lap. "Hold on to him, so he doesn't fall."

Malfoy put a protective arm around him and continued to stare.

Josh, curious as to why he had been moved from his mother into the arms of a complete stranger, looked around in shock. But then, as if sensing he could trust Malfoy, he leaned back and fell asleep against Malfoy's chest.

"Whoa, what's he doing?" Malfoy asked getting scared.

"Relax, he just getting a head start on his sleeping. He's had a long train ride." Malfoy visibly relaxed and placed his other arm around Josh. He then looked up to watch what Dumbledore was doing.

After everyone had their babies, Dumbledore dismissed us to go to our dorms, or in everyone else's case, their _new_ dorms.

Draco quietly and carefully slid his right arm along Josh's side and gently picked him up so he wouldn't wake him. "I'll carry him," he said.

I nodded and led the way. Since most people didn't know where the Head dorms were at, they had to follow us anyway.

Once we got to our portrait and I said the password, it opened to reveal a very different dorm. The common room was the same, except for an added kitchenette. There was a hallway with two doors. The first door led to our shared bathroom, which also held a changing table. The second one was our shared bedroom. There was a crib against the wall across from us with a bed on either side of it. .

The moment we entered our room Malfoy carefully walked over to the crib and laid Josh down without waking him.

"I guess we should go to sleep now," he said.

"Yeah, I guess we should." I started heading over to my dresser to get my nightclothes when I heard Malfoy speak softly to me.

"Is he going to wake up in the night?"

"No. Right after he turned two months he started sleeping the whole night through. If he does it will only be once. Otherwise he'll be fine."

There was a pause from him, and then he nodded. "Alright."


	5. A Trip to Hogsmeade

Disclaimer: I only own the plot.

**Chapter Four**

**A Trip to Hogsmeade**

Josh slept beautifully through the night, even though he was in a strange place. Maybe it was because he had me again.

When I woke up he was still sleeping, as well as Draco, so I decided it was the perfect time to take a shower.

I had already finished and was putting my clothes on when there was a loud knock on the door.

"Hurry up Granger! He needs to be changed!"

I quickly finished putting on my jeans and then opened the door. There stood Malfoy holding Josh who was sucking on his rattle, who turned to look at me and smiled when the door opened.

"Hey sweetie" I said picking him up out of Malfoy's arms. "Come on, let's get you changed.

"Hey Granger, do you think you could teach me how to do that? You know, in case you're not around and I need to change him."

I looked at him and smiled. "Of course. Come over here and watch."

I explained to Malfoy all you were supposed to do as I myself did it. He nodded when I was done, indicating he understood everything.

"Now lets grab some baby food out of the kitchen and go down to breakfast."

In the Great Hall the tables were all back to normal, and some of the younger kids were now staring at the idle babies situated throughout the room. Malfoy and I separated as I took Josh over to the Gryffindor table. Harry, Ron, Lavender and Ginny were all there, with the former three holding their babies.

"Hey guys," I said as I sat down next to Ginny and prepared Josh's breakfast.

"Hey Hermione, hey Josh" she said taking his hand and smiling to him. "Do you remember me?"

He smiled and made a small noise, which was a sign of "yes" for Ginny. "Can I feed him?" she asked. She had seen me do so on a number of occasions, and had even helped, so I agreed and handed him over.

Harry was the only other one out of our little group that had a boy, which he and Pansy had named Sean. Ron and Lavender both had girls, his' named Arabella, and hers' named Kelly.

"So Hermione, did you hear that the school is allowing us to have a Hogsmeade weekend so we can shop for our babies?" Harry asked.

"That's great. But what about the people who don't have that much money?" I asked softly, though I knew Ron and Ginny wouldn't take offense, not since it was me saying it.

"Dumbledore set up a fund for those people" Lavender said, lifting her baby in the air and bringing her back down again, receiving a smile.

"Yeah, we get a certain amount of money each week, though more this week since we're shopping" said Ron.

"I wish I was in this project," Ginny said with a sign as she cleaned around Josh's mouth with his spoon.

"Yeah, well, you can wait another year. And even longer before you have one for real" said Ron, who was still a bit protective of his sister.

Ginny looked at me and rolled her eyes. I just gave a small smile as I took another bite out of my bacon.

Once we were all done, we left Ginny and headed towards the entrance of the school where we found our respective partners waiting. Draco and Christina seemed to be caught in a deep conversation, and would smile at each other once in a while.

Ron and I walked up to them, and they finally noticed us, and stopped their conversation. Christina gently took Arabella out of Ron's hands and Malfoy looked at me and said, "ready?" to which I nodded.

Hogsmeade was already alive with the older witches, wizards, goblins and who knows what else, along with a few students who had gotten there early.

All the rest of our friends had already split from us, and we were deciding where we were going to go first, when we suddenly heard and older, female voice saying, "Draco dear."

Malfoy put his eyebrows together in confusion, and turned around. I followed his lead, only to find Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy standing there.

"Mother, father, what are you two doing here?" he asked walking over to them, with me following close behind.

"Dumbledore owled all of the parents telling us of your little project, and we just had to come and meet the child" she said looking over at Josh.

"Well hello there dear" she said, stroking his cheek. It seemed to sooth him, because his eyes began to droop. She softly stopped and turned to look at me. "You must be Hermione Granger. It's so nice to meet you," she said, offering her hand for me to shake. I took it carefully, trying not to drop Josh.

Mr. Malfoy then stepped up and offered his hand as well, saying, "yes, it's a pleasure to finally meet you for real, without constraints."

We all understood what he meant-without having to make the appearance that he hated my kind.

I took his hand ready to shake it, but instead he bowed over it and kissed it. Well, he really was an old-fashioned gentleman. All the same, it still made me blush, and when I finally realized it, I blushed even harder from embarrassment.

He straightened and gave a small smile.

"Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy-"

"Please, call us Narcissa and Lucius," said Lucius.

I smiled and nodded, then continued, "Professor Dumbledore did tell you that our baby is real, that he's my brother, didn't he?"

Narcissa smiled. "Yes he did."

"Although he does have blond hair," said Lucius.

"He gets them from his father" said Malfoy.

"Well," said Narcissa. "Why don't you boys take Josh and go do something while Hermione and I go shopping for him?"

The men nodded and Malfoy moved to take Josh out of my arms. While I was handing him over, I told Malfoy, "don't you dare take this baby into The Three Broomsticks."

Malfoy rolled his eyes and said, "yes mother." The two men left, leaving Narcissa and I to walk to a store that I had never seen before, it was a baby store.

She led me inside, where I saw that most of the girls in my class were already there, looking for things, and cooing with their friends.

Narcissa knew exactly where she wanted to go, and led me straight to the clothing section, for four months.

"Narcissa, Josh is only three months."

"Oh, I know dear, but you'll find that babies grow fast and you'll need to be prepared." She and I started looking through them, and picking out the ones we liked.

"You know," she said. "I feel a strange calling to this baby." She laughed. "Maybe I'm just caught up in this whole project as well."

I gave a small, guilty laugh and said, "yeah, maybe."

"You know, when Draco was a baby he looked a lot like Josh. He was always wanting attention, which goes to show that he still wants it now." She was laughing. "His father and I were always playing with him, whenever we didn't have to fear that a spy was lurking within the shadows. Those were such horrible times," she said with a sigh.

"I bet they were," I said softly.

Narcissa cheered up. "But now we're here, in good times, so I shouldn't fret about the old. Now how do you like this dear?"

We spent another hour shopping, buying everything from clothes to toys to baby strollers and diapers.

When I insisted that a pay for it, since he was my brother, Narcissa flat out refused, saying, "while this project is going on, that baby is going to be my grandchild, which means I get to spoil him."

"But at least let me pay for some of it."

"No Hermione."

And that was the end of it.

Then we went to find Malfoy and his father. They were at the joke shop and Malfoy was showing Josh, who was being held by Lucius, an exploding bottle of ink, making him laugh and clap.

We came up to them smiling.

"Did you buy out the whole store?" Malfoy asked shocked, looking at the baby bags we were holding in our hands.

"No, just about half of it" I said. Narcissa laughed and Malfoy just shook his head.

"Well we better take these bags back up to the school, and then we need to leave" said Narcissa.

"Yes, we should," agreed Lucius.

After we had made our way back to the school, Lucius and Narcissa said their goodbyes and left us alone. Josh had been laid down for his nap.

"So did you like my parents?" Malfoy asked.

"Yeah, they were very nice people. Though I was shocked when they came."

"Yeah. Listen, to make this project work easier, why don't we start calling each other by our fist names?"

I looked at him. He was sitting down on his bed, staring at me for an answer.

"Alright Draco. Though that is something to get used to."


	6. Falling Into Place

Disclaimer: I only own the plot.

**Chapter Five**

**Falling Into Place**

A/N: **NO.** Draco does not know that Josh is his son, to those of you who keep saying so. And thanks to The Kind Slytherin, I thought I was allowing them, but that's been fixed.

By one month into the project, everything was going smoothly. Draco and I had gotten used to calling each other by first name, which annoyed Harry and Ron the slightest bit.

"Hermione, you know he's been our enemy since first year!" Ron said.

"I know Ronald, but he is my partner for this project, and he's been taking it very seriously. And besides, you know he's not like he used to be."

Ginny couldn't have been happier that we were getting past old barriers.

"This is so good for both of you and Josh."

We were sitting in the Gryffindor common room in the chairs by the fire, talking so only the other could hear.

"It is, but I also feel kind of bad that he doesn't know."

"Then tell him!"

I looked at her through the corner of my eyes. "Ginny" I said in a warning voice.

"I know, I know," she said with a sigh as she turned her head away from me. "It's just not the right time." She looked at me again, with intensity in her eyes. "But what if there is never 'a right time' Hermione? He needs to know before Josh grows up and gets married himself."

I was the one sighing this time. "I know. I worry about that too. But I promise you Ginny, if I don't find a right time before the school year is out, I'll tell him after graduation is over."

She smiled to me. "Is that a promise?"

I smiled back. "You know it."

"And I want you to read pages 115 to 153 by the next class."

Almost the entire potions class groaned as the bell rang and they picked up their things to head out.

As I was walking past the desk, opening my book to start the required reading, I was suddenly stopped when I heard Professor Snape call me.

Turning around, I headed towards his desk. "Yes sir?"

"How has Mister Malfoy been taking his new responsibilities?"

"Very well sir. He took to Josh wonderfully. He's been a good father."

Snape nodded. "Good. You may go now."

Ever since that night I was raped, I believe, even though it didn't show very well just now, that Snape and I have reached common ground, even more when we're not around people. He was the one who made sure Draco didn't remember what happened, even in the process helping me.

When I exited the classroom, I found Draco standing not far away talking to Christina. They were both smiling and laughing a little bit. All of a sudden I got this feeling in my chest. Ignoring it, I walked over to them.

"Hey, we need to go pick up Josh" I said.

"Oh, I'll come with you," said Christina. "I need to pick up Arabella."

That feeling was back again.

So we all started walking to the daycare center, with Draco and Christina keeping up the conversation most of the way. A couple of times they tried to enter me into it, but I just smiled, answered their questions and turned away.

Once Draco and I were back in our own common room with Josh, I set about to get him fed. Josh, that is.

But while I was doing this I started thinking. What was that feeling that I had when I saw Draco and Christina together? And usually when I'm brought into a conversation, I'll add my two cents, and then continue to put in my opinion. Why was today so different?

"Hey Hermione, do you know where my shampoo went?" Draco asked coming from the hallway that led to the bathroom.

"It's in the cabinet, behind the soap."

It seems that we really have been acting like a real family. I had taken over the housewife/mom role where I took care of most things. Draco had been filling out the husbandly role and took care of Josh, along with taking extra classes some evenings to prepare for a job he had been promised in the ministry for when he graduated.

Maybe that's what that feeling was today; regret to leave this position I had grown accustomed to.

But then that made me think of what would happen when Draco found out. Would he continue these roles? Or was he coming to like Christina? Maybe she would get in the way. Who knew.

Josh had a play date with Arabella, Sean and Kelly, so I took him next door where Pansy and Harry were living.

Ginny was in there, sipping butterbeer and talking to Harry. Ron and Lavender were sitting on the floor with their babies talking as well. Everyone looked up when I entered the room.

"Hey Hermione" they said, nearly in unison. "Hey everybody." I sat Josh down next to the other three babies, and then took a seat next to Lavender.

"So where are all of your partners?" I asked them.

"Hanging out with each other" said Harry, going to grab another butterbeer, which he gave to me. "Malfoy will probably join them."

"Yeah, probably" I said absentmindedly.

Later on that evening we all took our babies and went down to dinner. After we were finished and the tables were cleared, Dumbledore stood up.

"I would like to take this time to announce that a new part of the seventh year project will start next Monday. The Professors have all discussed this, and agreed that it would be the best thing. We want to make this project as real as possible, so tomorrow, on all of the bulletin boards in the seventh year dorms, there will be a list of possible job opportunities for you to take part in."

Muttering started throughout the student body.

"These jobs are fist come, first serve, so you will need to act quickly. If you would like to be a stay-at-home parent, then so be it. But it is required that one of your partnership should have a job. The daycare center will now be open until the latest job gets out, so you will not have to worry about that. The ministry has seen to it that you will be paid for real, so if your partner IS one that stays at home, it might be better if you get a higher paying job.

"Now remember that we are trying to make this real, so you will start paying for your meals here as well as your child's meals, and all seventh years will be allowed to go into Hogsmeade at any time for anything you may need, or want, but spend wisely. And remember, you CAN be fired from these jobs, so I suggest you act like an adult. Now, you are free to go."

I stood up and made my way out of the Great Hall, and to my dorm. I had given Josh to Draco when I found him before dinner, since it was his night with him, so I was completely alone. I wondered what kind of jobs there would be. Me being me, I would probably go for one of the toughest jobs on the list.

I had walked back pretty slowly, so I wasn't surprised when I found Draco already in the common room playing with Josh and a toy he had bought at Hogsmeade.

"Pretty interesting isn't it?" he asked me when he noticed that I was back.

"Yeah it is. Are you going to get a job and continue your training?"

He gave the toy to Josh so he could give his full attention to me, and said, "I'm continuing my training. Mr. Livingson, my teacher, had a talk with me and Dumbledore today, and said that I would be paid from now on, so it could be like my actual job. Are you going to get one?"

"Yeah. I just don't know what yet."

"What are you planning to do once you get out of Hogwarts?" he asked, looking interested.

"I haven't decided yet." And it was the honest truth. Ever since I had gotten pregnant with Josh, everything changed. I wasn't as sure of everything anymore. It had been a slap of reality, a reminder that things can change suddenly.

"Well, maybe these jobs will give you a hint" he said with a smile.

The smile was so sweet, and so nice when I was in such a dull mood, that I couldn't help but smile back.

In the morning I went to look at the bulletin board. I wanted to be one of the first people so I wouldn't get a horrible job. I swear I was looking at that thing for twenty minutes when Draco finally found me.

He was holding Josh, who was still half asleep. That little boy had never been a good morning person.

"Found anything that caught your eye?"

"I'm thinking about the job as assistant to Madame Pomfrey. I'm thinking that a Healer would be a good occupation for me. Of course it would be a bit time consuming, but I think I could live with that."

He nodded. "You better write your name on the line quickly, that's one of the high paying jobs, and most people will be after the money more than fun."

I nodded and did as he said. Once I was finished with my signature, the list instantly faded away and writing appeared. It was instructions on what I was supposed to do.

Draco started reading it out loud. "On Monday, exactly fifteen minutes after classes finish, report to the Hospital Wing for further instructions." He nodded. "Well, congratulations, you're now an assistant healer."


	7. A New Job and An Accident

Disclaimer: I only own the plot.

Chapter Six

A New Job and An Accident 

I awoke to a gasp and the sound of Josh starting to cry. Looking over, I found Malfoy sitting up in bed, sweat drowning his face, all the way down over his chest-the man slept with no shirt. Which was really a kind of fun thing considering the guy had some nice abs, but that really wasn't the point at the moment.

"Draco what's wrong?" I asked as I picked up Josh and began to rock him to make him stop crying.

He looked over at me as if shocked that I should be in the room. "I had a nightmare" was his reply.

"Must have been one nightmare; you look really pale."

"I still don't even completely understand it," he said throwing the covers off of him in an attempt to cool off.

"Well what was it about?" I asked sitting at the end of his bed. Draco looked at Josh, who was now falling back asleep, as he answered.

"It was such a weird thing. I was walking through the forest, and I had a black cape on, with the hood down low enough to cover my face. I knew where I was going and yet I was nervous, like I really didn't want to go, as if I knew something bad was going to happen."

I could only stare at him. "I don't know what to tell you. All the same, it was just a nightmare." I looked at the clock. "Well, we have about fifteen minutes before the alarm clock goes off. Let's just get a head start today?"

He nodded as he started to get up. "Only I get dibs on the first shower" he said walking out of the room.

I wasn't nervous as I walked into the hospital wing for my first day on the job. But I wasn't thrilled either. I guess you could say I was just plain, ordinarily excited.

There were two other people who were to be trainees with me. When I walked into the hospital wing I noticed one of them was a ravenclaw named Jill Simmons. I never really spoke to Jill before, but I knew she was a quiet girl. There was another girl named Liza Hertzog, another Ravenclaw who was more charismatic.

"Welcome ladies" Madame Pomfrey said as she walked over to us. "Today you shall begin your training for Healer's aids. If you chose to go on in this area in the future, you must know it is a time consuming job, especially if you are a healer. This job will give you insight into a working experience, and show you what it is like to work in a hospital.

"Now if you'll follow me, I'll show you what you need to know for this job."

The training wasn't that difficult. Some of it was confusing, but we took notes and were told to study them so we would know what to do.

We broke down in shifts, two of us each night. Madame Pomfrey would teach us things we would need to know in the future if we pursued the career. Whoever worked the next night would tell the third person, and so on and so forth.

By the time Josh was picked up from daycare, it would already be six thirty in the evening, if both Draco and I had to work.

If I didn't feel too tired, or if I didn't have to work, I would usually cook us something for dinner while Josh would play in his high chair or take a nap.

On a few occasions when he didn't have to work, Draco would be nice enough to cook, and play with Josh at the same time.

It was on one of these occasions when I walked in on them. Josh was watching Draco with his mouth slightly open while Draco was showing off flipping the items in the skillet, like a professional chef would do. He missed one of the potatoes though, and it dropped to hit him in the arm.

He yelled as the potato burned him, and Josh found this rather funny. He even began to clap his hands, though not professionally.

I decided to come in then, and while Draco was flipping the potato off of him, I rinsed a towel in cold water at brought it over. He inspected the spot on his arm while I pressed the coldness up against it.

"Thanks" he said, still not looking at me.

"You're welcome."

I left the towel to him and went over to Josh who smiled at me.

Picking him up, I smiled back and said, "hey sweetie. How's my boy?" He merely put his hand up to my mouth, and I put all of his fingers in it, acting like I was eating them.

He laughed again and I sat him back down in the chair, and turned to find that Draco had started cooking again.

"So are you ready for the match tomorrow?" I asked him.

He looked back at me and smiled. "Of course. Slytherin is going to beat Hufflepuff, just wait." He turned pack to the food he was cooking. "Are you going to be there to cheer on your wonderful husband?"

I laughed a little at his statement. "I wish I could sweetheart , but Madame Pomfrey is making me work, just in case someone gets hurt."

"I see. You'll just be cheering for me from the Hospital Wing."

I laughed. "Sure, whatever you say." I started sniffing the air, there was something in there mixed with the food- "Josh needs to be changed, I'll be right back."

"Dinner will probably be ready when you get here" he said getting down some plates.

------------PARENTS AT SEVENTEEN------------

The day of the match dawned bright and cheerful. Draco was gone by the time I woke up, probably already down at the quidditch pitch.

I looked over to find that Josh was already up, sucking on a doll and laying on his back with his feet flying in the air.

"You silly little thing" I said as I made my way over to pick him up. He smiled in return to my statement.

Ever since the little boy had figured out how to smile shortly after he was born, it took a little while for him to get used to it. But when he saw that it made me smile, he started doing it more often.

"Looks like your dad already changed your diaper." Then I noticed the note left in the crib.

Hermione,

I've already fed Josh and changed him; don't worry. I'm going down to eat breakfast, then go to the pitch to get a head start. I'll see you after the game, when we win so I can give Josh a victory kiss. Am I getting to mushy being a dad?

Draco.

I gave a small snort, though my heart tugged at the second to last sentence. At least Draco was getting used to Josh, and starting to love him. This was a good sign.

I started preparing for the day, leaving Josh in his crib and bringing the baby monitor into the bathroom with me. As most of the students were bringing their babies to the game with them, I had asked Madame Pomfrey if it was all right if I brought Josh. She had agreed, as long as I had a good place to put him if anyone arrived that was in need of medical attention.

After I finished getting ready I went ahead and cooked myself a little breakfast, then packed a bag for Josh. After that I decided we were ready. I picked up Josh, got his bag and a foldable play pin, and then walked us down to the Hospital Wing.

Madame Pomfrey was there already, getting her mittens on. She gave me a few instructions, then left herself to go see the game.

Josh became my entertainment during that time I sat there in the Hospital Wing. I played a few games of peek-a-boo with him, and other games that entertained him. It was soon apparent that he was growing tired, however, and I laid him down so he could get some rest.

After that my time passed slowly. I had nothing else to do and nowhere to go. I sat there like that for maybe a half of an hour until I heard hurried footsteps outside.

The only thing that could be happening is if someone was hurt, so I stood up ready to do my job. Madame Pomfrey was the first one I saw coming through the door. Following her was a stretcher and someone tall in Slytherin robes.

As Madame Pomfrey turned I noticed it was Draco lying in the stretcher. He didn't seem too fazed, in fact he had a large smile on his face, though his eyes seemed to be narrowed in pain.

"Draco," I said walking over. "What happened?"

"He broke his arm going after the snitch" Madame Pomfrey answered before Draco had the chance.

"Yes, but I still caught it, and won us the game" he said proudly. I shook my head but gave him a smile.

"Hermione" said Madame Pomfrey. "Why don't you go ahead and take care of this. I know you understand how to heal broken bones."

I nodded to her and set about to doing my job.

I had Draco fixed in no time, and after that I told him to rest, and I myself went to sit down in the chair, tired and bored.

Before long I heard Malfoy speak again. "Hey Hermione listen. My parents are throwing a Christmas party at our house. We do it each year. I was wondering if you wanted to come. Since, you know, we've gotten to know each other a little better."

I looked at him for a moment before answering. "Sure Malfoy, I'll come."

------------PARENTS AT SEVENTEEN------------

a/n sorry i haven't updated in a while, i sort of had writers block. sorry to all of you who were dissappointed


	8. A Christmas to Remember

**A/n**- it seems like this story is going to take forever. Sorry. I went on vacation, then had my wisdom teeth taken out and then had an allergic reaction to the medication they gave me. But here it is now.

**Read this 2040**- the sweetheart was actually sarcasm. I guess I didn't show that good enough.

------------PARENTS AT SEVENTEEN------------

Chapter Seven

A Christmas to Remember 

------------PARENTS AT SEVENTEEN------------

The day I went home for Christmas was a very happy day for me. I would finally have a break from lying to Draco, and I would see my parents.

They took the lie quite seriously though, and acted as if it was their own two children they were welcoming home instead of a grandchild.

The rest of the students had their children with them as well, and the parents acted a little awkward around the fake children.

Draco came over with his parents to say goodbye to Josh, and his parents were just as kind as they were the last time toward him.

"Do you're still coming to the Christmas Ball right?" he asked. "Yeah, I'm coming. I love Josh to death, but it will be nice to have a night off."

He laughed a little. "Well I suppose you're going to get a little freedom now that he's back with his real parents."

Then my smile faltered a little. "Yeah, I suppose I will."

"By the way" he said lifting what was in his hand. It was a present. "This is for Josh. I thought it right to give him a gift so I had my mother get it for him." Draco had become very attached to Josh. It was really cute.

I smiled. "Thanks Draco."

"Come Draco, it's time we leave these people in peace."

"I'll see you Hermione" Draco said with his half smile-half smirk.

"Bye Draco."

------------PARENTS AT SEVENTEEN------------

Then life got a little easier. Since my parents hadn't seen Josh in three months, they doted on him. Which was also nice for me because that gave me a little time to go have Hermione time. Now I understand why all those women in movies always want alone time.

The day of Christmas Eve I took Josh to the Weasley's where we opened gifts and had dinner. All of the Weasley's were home, and many of the older ones were playing with the babies.

"I'm surprised your parents let you take precious time off of their hands to bring Josh over here" said Mrs. Weasley. "I suspect they have been missing him."

"They have. But they understood that I would feel a little left out if Harry and Ron had their project babies and I didn't."

"I feel sorry for Josh though," Ron said coming over. "He seems to like Sean, Kelly, and Arabella. What happens when they disappear at the end of the year?"

"I'm sure he'll hate to lose them. But he's a baby, he'll make new friends. I just feel sorry for all of the students who are starting to get attached to their babies."

"I know I'll miss Sean" said Harry who had been standing next to me leaning on the counter. "It's really easy to get attached. I mean, the crying and dirty diapers were not all that fun, but when they have a smile on their face and you're blowing a raspberry in their belly and they start to laugh, you realize why people love them so much."

I laughed. "You're going to be a great father one day Harry."

He looked to the ground a little shy and embarrassed. "Maybe."

"Oh get over it you jerk. You'll be the great father, and I'll be the one the girl regrets marrying."

Everyone laughed at that.

------------PARENTS AT SEVENTEEN------------

That night me and my parents sat down to the piano and sang Christmas carols with Josh on my dad's lap. The singing drowsed him up, and he soon fell asleep during Silent Night.

The next morning I awoke to a giggling Josh playing with his feet. I lightly wrapped him in the blanket lying in his crib and walked downstairs where my parents were reading while drinking their coffee.

"Happy Christmas" I said to them as I sat down on the couch with Josh in my lap.

"Happy Christmas. Happy Christmas Josh." He smiled and giggled a little when he noticed all eyes were on him.

"Ready to open some presents?" I asked him. He stared at me, not comprehending what I was saying. I just smiled to him and handed him over to my mom. "I'll pass them out."

My father received a new watch from my mom, as well as new cufflinks for his business suits. From me he received a new book he was wanting.

My mother received earrings from him, and a bracelet and necklace to match. From my she had a new Boyd's Bear for her collection-a grandma bear and her grandchild. I thought it was appropriate.

I myself received two new books, a movie I had been wanting, and a new bracelet. And for kicks, but as well to help me out, a big box of diapers.

Josh was given new toys, to his delight. Some of them were for educational purposes. Nothing major, just toys that he would have fun playing with, while still learning.

Then there was the present from Draco. My parents knew of it, they said it was even a good sign.

"But he said he just thought it was right to get him a present, so maybe he just felt obligated to get it" I had said.

"But he's a man Hermione, that is probably just his way of saying he wanted to give Josh a present while saving face" my father replied.

Perhaps it was, or perhaps it wasn't I didn't know Draco well enough to tell, though over this time I had gotten to know him better. For instance, that perfect hair he always has? He has horrible bed hair. Not sticking strait out, just jumbled.

I opened the gift from Draco. It was a long, though small in width box. Inside, there were two balls of tissue. The first one was larger. It opened to a small wand. The label read "baby wand."

I unwrapped the paper around it and handed it to Josh. Taking it, he started at it for a second until it suddenly spurt out bubbles. Josh erupted with sounds of glee, then calmed as it hopped into his lap and danced, which made him laugh all the harder.

After a small giggle, I opened the second ball of tissue, only to find a silver comb encrusted with small diamonds. I had no idea whether they were real or not.

"Oh Hermione, that's beautiful" my mother said taking it form me.

I couldn't believe he had given Josh something that beautiful. It must have cost some good money. I guess he liked Josh even more than I thought.

------------PARENTS AT SEVENTEEN------------

The time Josh was put to bed that evening, worn out from the experiences of the day, was the time I started getting ready for the ball.

By the time eight o'clock rolled around I was ready to leave. I said goodbye to my parents, handed them the baby monitor, and made my way to the fireplace.

"I'll be home late."

"Okay dear."

After taking the nasty floo trip and landing on the other side, I dusted off my dress robes and then looked around. The hallway I had landed in was huge, filled with paintings not just of the Malfoy family, but also of landscapes, showing a real taste for art.

Following all of the rest of the people arriving, we went down a staircase and into a hall with many doors. One door in particular, the only door in the wall across from the staircase, was surrounded by windows showing a starry sky. This seemed like no illusion, leading me to believe this was the actual front door to the Malfoy Mansion.

Two large doors were open to the left. I followed the crowed through these doors to see many already dancing, and the Malfoys standing a short ways off, welcoming the guests. I wasn't in the line long before I made the end.

"Welcome Miss Granger," Lucius said, kissing my hand once again.

"Oh Hermione" said Narcissa. "I'm so glad you could make it dear." She grabbed my arms and gave me a small hug that way.

"Thank you."

"Hermione" said Draco when I cam to him.

"Hello."

"So glad you could make it."

"Thank you for inviting me."

I knew I shouldn't hold up the line, so I walked a ways off, leaving them to their greetings.

Looking around I finally allowed myself to think of the party. And then I finally realized it. Harry, Ron and Ginny hadn't been invited, of course. That meant I had no best friends here. I was completely alone.


	9. Maybe It’s Jealousy

**Chapter Eight**

**Maybe It's Jealousy**

------------PARENTS AT SEVENTEEN------------

I grabbed a floating glass of champagne and started walking, trying to appear as if I was looking for someone, when in actuality I was looking for a place to hide. But in my browsing I found Henrietta Montage, a Ravenclaw in my year. I quickly made my way over to her.

"Henrietta, it's good to see you!" I said as I gave her a small hug.

"Hey Hermione. I should have known Draco would invite you; you two seem to be getting along better with this project."

"Yeah. Although I think you are the only one I know here."

"I know. Mr. Malfoy must have invited the entire prominent adult wizarding world and their families and just forgot about all of the younger people."

"So what do you usually do at these things?" I asked, having never been to a wizard ball, except school. But this was completely different from school.

"Just stand around and talk about nothing I suppose. These things were made for men to get together and talk business and women to gather around and gossip."

"And the kids are left to do whatever they want?"

"Basically."

"What do you usually do?"

"In years past we would go outside and play games, or stay in and play pranks. But we're older now, and we've been through war, so we mostly just do what the adults do."

"How is this different from any other time in our lives?"

"It gives everyone a chance to show their wealth by outdressing each other, and it gives us a chance to dance."

"Oh."

Just then a Hufflepuff boy came up to us. "Henrietta, would you like to dance?"

"Sure Henry." She then turned to me. "Sorry Hermione, will you be okay."

"Oh, no, no, I'll be fine" I was quick to assure her. She gave me a smile and walked off. "I'll just sit here and look like a loner," I mumbled after she was out of earshot.

Great, here I am at some stupid ball looking like an idiot when I could be at home sleeping with my baby. Just great.

"Hermione?" I turned around to look at the person speaking.

"Lavender?" I breathed a sigh of relief as she came and hugged me.

"Thank Merlin, I thought I was going to be a loner" she said to me.

"I was just thinking the same thing. Why are you here?"

"My dad does business with Lucius Malfoy" she said with a wave of her hand, as if brushing away the question. "Did Draco invite you?"

"Yeah, I don't know why though. It's not as if he's going to be spending time with me."

"Is that Christina he's dancing with?"

I looked to the dancefloor to see what she was talking about, and sure enough, there he was dancing with Christina, both of them having smiles on their faces. Why did I suddenly have this little pang in my chest?

"So how was your Christmas?" I asked Lavender.

"It was pretty good. My parents gave me some money for stuff with Kelly you know. They think it's a little weird having a grandchild around. But they said the weirdest thing is that she's going to disappear at the end of the year."

"Yeah, I suppose that would get confusing."

"You're so lucky that your baby is real Hermione."

I laughed. "Lucky that every night I get to hear him cry when he can't sleep the whole night through?"

"Lucky that he'll be around forever. I'm going to miss Kelly when she's gone is all I'm saying."

I sighed. "I guess that would be hard too."

"Hermione, is it just me, or is Draco Malfoy coming over here?"

I looked up to see that she was right, and that Draco was coming our way.

"Hello Hermione, Lavender" he said, nodding to each of us in turn."

"Hello Draco."

"Are you both enjoying yourselves?"

"Yes."

"Good. I was just wanting to know if you would like to dance with me Hermione?" he asked looking straight at me.

I paused for a second, not comprehending what he was saying to me. "Sure" I said when it finally clicked.

He smiled and extended his hand.

I was a fairly good dancer, if I do say so myself. But Draco? He was an excellent dancer. We twirled around a little in silence, until he finally spoke.

"I'm sorry you don't have anyone but Lavender here."

"It's fine. We're okay with standing around together."

"But still, you don't have your best friends here. I didn't think of this until it was too late and I'm sorry."

I smiled to him. "It's fine Draco, really. Lavender and I are friends. We're hanging in there."

"I'm glad."

It was kind of nice that Draco was worried about me. It felt good. As we danced and smiled at each other, I knew I was happy. But then the moment just had to be ruined as someone tapped Draco on the shoulder.

He turned around and my smile faded as I saw that the person standing there was Christina.

"Hi" Draco said smiling to her.

"Hi" she said giving a huge smile back. "I was just wanting to know if I could cut in. If that's alright with you?" she asked turning to me.

I painted a small smile on my face and said, "no, that's fine. He's all yours." My heart sank saying those words, but I knew they were true. I had no control over Draco Malfoy's emotions.

I stepped aside and gave her all the room as they both smiled at each other and started dancing as I made my way off of the dance floor and back to Lavender.

"How rude. You two looked like you were having fun and then she just had to come around and ruin it."

This statement by Lavender set off a small spark of anger in my chest. It was kind of rude of her wasn't it?

As we watched them finish MY dance with Draco, I decided maybe it was better if I went home.

"Lavender, I'm sorry to do this, but I think I'm going to call it a night. I'm beat."

"Are you sure Hermione?"

"Yeah. I'm sorry to leave you though."

"Oh it's fine. Actually there was this hot guy across the room who keeps smiling at me. I may take my chance."

I smiled to her. "Bye Lavender. I'll see you back at school."

"Bye Hermione."

The moment I came through the fireplace I sat down on the couch and leaned my head back. Was I honestly jealous of Christina Vuliaire? Maybe I had just gotten too locked in to the whole house routine with Draco, that I just wanted it to stay that way.

Boy am I going to have some problems.

Just then the fireplace started back up, and out came Draco Malfoy. He looked around for a moment as I sat up, looking at his surroundings.

"Draco" he turned to look at me. "What are you doing here?"

"And why are you sitting in a dark room still in your dress robes?" he countered.

I raised one eyebrow as if to say "and that's stranger than you, my once mortal enemy, standing in my living room?"

He stretched his hand out to me to show my purse. "You left this."

I started at it for a moment. "You do know you could have just given it to me when we went back to school?"

He looked at me with his eyebrows lowered, showing his honesty when he said, "to tell the truth, I hadn't thought of that."

I grabbed it from him. "Well thank you for returning it anyway."

"You're welcome."

Just then my window was lit up by the headlights of a passing car. Draco looked to the disturbance.

"You know, I've never ridden in a car, though I've always wanted to."

I don't know what made me say it, I just did. "Well, would you like to?"

He turned to look at me. "You could arrange for it?"

I laughed a little. "They keys are in the kitchen. I could go get them and take you for a drive."

"You can drive?" He looked amazed.

"Draco, I'm seventeen. You can get a license at that age in the muggle world. Yes, I can drive it."

He thought for a second before saying, "sure, let's go."


	10. Goodbye Daddy

Chapter Nine

**Goodbye Daddy**

------------PARENTS AT SEVENTEEN------------

After grabbing the keys in the kitchen, I led Draco out to the garage. He just stood there, staring at the car.

"Draco, it is okay to get in."

"Yes, but how?"

I went over to him and opened the door. Once in my own seat, I showed him how to buckle the seatbelt. "What is this for?" he asked.

"For protection. Should another car hit us, they help keep us from flying through the windshield."

He looked a little less sure of this drive now. I rolled my eyes and just said, "don't worry Draco, I'll be very careful with your highness in the car."

We drove through town in silence, and it wasn't long before I had us out in the country. The stars were beautiful tonight, and the moon shone down, making the snow on the ground sparkle.

"After the dance with Christina I was going to come over and apologize for our dance being ruined when Lavender told me you had left. I'm sorry, though. Christina sometimes only thinks about herself."

"But you like her though" I stated softly, though I hated saying it.

"Yes, I do."

Then we remained silent for a while. I hated that he liked her. But I had no control over Draco Malfoy.

"It's nice out here" Draco commented.

"I like driving out here. It's a nice place to just think."

"That's what I love about the country. It's so peaceful. The Manor is out in the country."

"Where exactly is Malfoy Manor? No one seems to know."

"It's near London, to the north of it actually. We just never gave out the exact location because no one needed it with apparation and the floo network."

"It's a really big place. I mean, I expected it to be big, but it was huge."

He gave a small smile. "Yes. Our ancestors were obsessed with grandness. The outside is magnificent. During the war it was a really dark place, inside and out. But after Voldemort was defeated, my parents went about redecorating, and now it's beautiful."

"Yes it is," I agreed. "So what exactly does you r father do, I mean, he had a lot of business associates at the party."

"He works for the ministry. He monitors businesses and such, making sure they don't deal illegally or swindle customers or anything like that."

"Is that what you'll be doing?" I asked, turning to look at him.

"No. I'll be working in the foreign affairs office. I speak several languages, and I'll be helping them deal with other countries."

"Well that's interesting. Will that allow you to travel much to those other countries?"

"Yes. I'll probably be traveling quite a bit. Maybe about half of the year."

"That should be really fun. Especially if you ever want to have a family, they'll like being cultured like that."

"Yes. Hopefully I won't have a wife who is rooted to one job in one place, though" he said with a laugh.

"Hopefully" I said smiling.

"So what do you want to do with your life Hermione? Do you want to be a Healer?"

"I don't know. I mean, I've been at it for a while, and sure, it's just a school. But I don't know if Healing is the right job for me. I may look to see about a transfer when we get back."

"Maybe one day you'll have enough money to start your own library. You love books and such. You can have a little café in it as well, where you spend your lunch breaks reading the latest book you've decided is worth your while."

I smiled as I looked at him. "Are you planning my future Draco Malfoy?"

He smiled as he looked back. "Just thinking of the possibilities."

I laughed and he joined in.

"So how is Josh?" he asked.

"He's fine. You're presents were great by the way. He loves the wand and the comb is just beautiful. Thank you."

He smiled. "Good, and you're welcome. Are your parents glad to have him home?"

"Yeah they are. They missed him a lot."

"I bet. That would be horrible to send your new baby off somewhere else, even if it was still with family."

"Yeah" I said softly. "It would be."

Heck, it was the same thing I had felt leaving Josh to come to school. I almost didn't want to come, believe it or not. I loved my baby.

"Draco, I may be prying, and you don't have to answer if you don't want to, but something just bugged me ever since I knew about the truth of your family."

"Yes?" he said turning to me.

"Did you ever want to get to know Harry? Or any of the others you had to pretend to hate?"

"Well, some of the people I did hate. I had known them before school, and hated the type of people they were. But with Potter and your lot, I never extremely wanted to get to know you. I mean, sure, I curious about you. But I've always been the type of person who just got to know someone if they were around them a lot."

I took this answer. It sounded like him, and I had thought that might have been the case.

"Did you ever want to get to know me, before you knew how big of an ass I was?" he asked.

I sat in silence for a while. "I was curious about you on the train first year. You have one of those faces eyes are just naturally drawn to. Especially with your hair as bright as it is. But then once you started picking on Ron an Harry for just being themselves, I didn't like you that much anymore."

He nodded. "I didn't like doing it to people I hardly knew. I've always believed that if you are going to hate a person, do it for the personality, not just who they are."

I nodded. "I believe that too."

By now we were pulling back into my driveway.

"Thanks for the driver Hermione" Draco said unbuckling his seatbelt.

"You're welcome Draco." I quietly led him back inside and into the living room. "I'll see you back at school."

"You'll probably see me on the train. I'll want to see Josh."

I looked at him. "Do you want to see him now?"

He looked at me like I was crazy. "While everyone is sleeping?"

"Just be quiet. Follow me." I led him quietly upstairs and over to my room. Opening the door slowly, I looked over to Josh's crib to find him sitting up. Straitening up and moving into the room, I noticed his eyes were half closed, meaning he had just woken up.

He smiled when he saw me, and smiled bigger when he noticed Draco walk into the room right after me.

"He remembers me," Draco said smiling.

"Yes he does," I said, joining in the excitement. Josh held out his arms to Draco, who obliged and picked him up.

"Have you missed me little guy?" Draco asked, slowly bouncing him.

"Why don't we take him downstairs with us, so you can see him a little longer before you go?"

Draco didn't answer, just played with Josh as he walked out of the room and down the stairs.

Draco played with Josh a moment longer before he handed the baby over to me. "I'll see you both on the train back to school." He finally turned to look at me. "I can't believe all I have let with this little guy is one semester. I think I'm getting too attached."

"Babies are wonderful things Draco. You can love them without meaning to."

He nodded and headed for the fireplace, grabbing some of the floo powder lying on the mantle. But before he stepped in, he turned around and said, "Granger, why is the crib in your room?"

Oh crap. "Um, well," wait, I know! "You see, I got so used to having him with me, and my parents got used to not having him, that he was allowed to stay in my room."

Draco thought for a moment then nodded, accepting this answer. "Goodbye Hermione, Josh."

The fireplace filled with green flames, and he was gone.

"Goodbye Draco. Say goodbye Daddy."

------------PARENTS AT SEVENTEEN------------

The next day I rounded up Josh and took him over to see the Weasleys again. I had made up my mind on a very important decision.

"Hello Mrs. Weasley" I said when she answered the door.

"Why hello Hermione dear. And hello Josh. My Hermione, I'm beginning to think your parents don't want this baby, as much as they're away from him."

I laughed with her. "Mrs. Weasley, is it possible for me to have a talk with your family? There's something I need to explain to you all."

Ginny, who had just walked into the kitchen, stopped in her tracks and looked at me.

Mrs. Weasley looked a little confused, but said, "of course, I'll round them all up."

"Thank you." After she had left the room, Ginny walked over to me.

"Did you tell Malfoy?" she asked.

"No, I haven't. But your family had been my second family for years. I owe them an explanation."

"What's going on here Hermione?" asked Bill once the whole family was seated in the living area.

"I have something to tell you all about Josh. I've been lying to all of you, except Ginny, who's known the truth all along. She's been a good friend and helped me through some rough times. You see, Josh is really my son."

------------PARENTS AT SEVENTEEN------------

About an hour later, I was finished explaining and questions were finished being asked. I received a hug from each member of the Weasley family. And then Ron, Harry, Ginny, Josh and I were all left alone. Ginny was holding Josh and playing with him, and Ron and Harry were looking at him.

"I can't believe it Hermione," said Harry. "I'm sorry about all you had to go through."

"I don't regret anything. There's nothing really to regret. I have a beautiful baby boy now. Soon Malfoy will know the truth. Hopefully everything will be alright after that.

------------PARENTS AT SEVENTEEN------------

**A/N **No, you do not get to know what happens now. You get to see it all through Draco's eyes after a few more chapters. The end is getting closer, and after I throw in a few more twists and turns, we'll know everything and see how this all turns out. So stick in there!


	11. Dada

**A/n**: things are going to go a little faster from here on. WE'RE GETTING CLOSER!!!

Chapter Ten

**Dada**

------------PARENTS AT SEVENTEEN------------

My heart was in emotional turmoil. That's all I could say to describe it. After my conversation with Draco, all I knew was that I liked him even more. This just made him more human in my eyes.

Surprisingly, on the train ride back, all of our couples sat in the same compartment. Draco held Josh for nearly the entire ride, fed him, and then let him fall asleep on him.

Emotional turmoil? Of course. But this isn't even half of it.

Our first day back to school I was the second one to take a shower. I was under the mindset that my hair looked better when I dried some of it with a towel, then dried the rest with my wand and styled it.

So I walked in the bedroom rubbing a towel on my hair to find Draco playing with a sitting-all-by-himself Josh on Draco's bed.

"What are you two doing?" I asked with a smile. Josh looked up and smiled at me, holding his new wand in the air. Draco as well turned around and was the one to answer me.

"Just playing. He really does like his wand. I'm glad for that" he said smiling back at Josh.

Then, emotional turmoil skyrocketed.

I was enjoying myself when it happened. Just sitting there, watching my son and his father smiling to each other, when Josh turned to Draco, smiled nice and big with his new tooth that was coming in, and said, "dada."

Time stopped. For both of us, I believe. Draco and I just stood there staring at him. He giggled like he said something funny, then turned back to his wand to continue playing with it.

Draco was the first to recover. "Get that Granger. I must be doing a good job, he really thinks I'm his father." Draco was even…smiling. Then he turned to look at me as if worried about something. "Hey, your dad won't mind will he?"

"No" I said, finally regaining my voice. "No, I think he'll understand.

"Listen, can you take him to daycare? I need to go talk to Ginny."

"Sure" he said, picking Josh up. "Come on little guy."

It wasn't long until I found Ginny. I mean I ran straight for the Gryffindor common room, which she just so happened to be coming out of.

"Ginny, I need to talk to you" I said, not stopping, nor giving her time to answer before I grabbed her arm and whisked her off. We walked in silence until I found an empty classroom, and threw us both in.

"Hermione, what the hell is going on?" Ginny asked, turning on me.

"Josh called Draco dada."

Ginny just looked at me. "And why is this a problem, last time I checked, Draco was his father, and has been acting like it for half of Josh's life."

"Yes, but Draco doesn't know he's the father. That's the point Ginny. I don't know what I've gotten myself into." I sat on one of the desks and put my head in my hands.

"Hermione" Ginny said sitting beside me. "Maybe it's time to tell him."

"He's practically dating Christina Ginny. Now is just not the time." I stood up and straightened myself out. "No. I'm sticking with my promise, if I don't find a right time by graduation, I'll tell him then." I turned and smiled to my best girlfriend. "Thanks Ginny."

------------PARENTS AT SEVENTEEN------------

At the end of the day I went about changing my job, apologizing profusely to Madame Pomfrey. She was upset, but understood.

After that, time just kind of flew by. Josh and Draco were getting closer. Josh was now saying both mama and dada, though he still couldn't tell which was which.

By mid January, I knew I was falling for Draco Malfoy. I had gotten to know him so well, that love just couldn't be helped. But unfortunately, by the end of the month, he and Christina were an item.

But then, life went on, except for me. Ron was now coming around to admit that he liked Lavender, and Harry had finally asked Ginny out.

So by the time Valentines Day came around, everyone had someone, everyone but me. It seemed I was going to spend my Valentines with my son. Don't get me wrong, I was happy about being with Josh. But I just kind of wanted someone in more ways of a boyfriend to spend it with.

One day, close to the fateful lover's day, Draco and I were sitting in the kitchenette, paying bills. Which wasn't too fun.

"All right, that's it" Draco said, slapping the last envelope down. His falcon came over, picked the letters up, and flew out of the window to deliver them, much to the amazement of Josh. Once he was finished gawking, he looked at us and squealed with glee. Draco and I both smiled to him.

Then Draco got up off of his seat and released Josh from his high chair to hold him. "What do you say we take a little trip to Hogsmeade?" he said looking at the baby, who was looking at me.

"Sure, why not?" I said getting up. "I needed a few things anyway." I cleared the table of all the excess papers and money, and then took them to our room to put them in the safe.

When I came back out, Draco had his warm robes, meant for the outside in winter. Josh had his own coat on, and was sitting in the stroller with a blanket over him.

"Draco, is that thing going to go over the snow?" I asked, looking at the plastic wheels.

He smirked and said, "watch this" as he took out his wand and pointed to the wheels, transfiguring them to blades, like the bottom of a sleigh. Then he transfigured them back.

I smiled and shook my head. He grabbed my coat from the rack and held it out. "Is this what you wear outside?" he asked, turning his nose up to my muggle coat.

"Yes it is," I said, grabbing it from him with a force and put it on.

"How on earth do you keep your legs warm?" he asked.

"That's what jeans are for" I said, starting to roll Josh out of the dormitory. Draco followed behind, still making his case.

"That's also what shirts are for, but we all know they don't give enough protection."

We stopped at the stairs and I unbuckled Josh to carry him while Draco folded up and carried the stroller. "Well Draco, I've lived with it for seventeen years, I suppose I can live with it for a little longer."

"I just don't see the point in keeping your top half warm while your bottom half freezes."

"Because that's where your heart it, and your heart can't freeze or you won't be able to go any further."

"Yes, but your legs can't freeze either or you won't be able to walk, eliminating the purpose of keeping your heart warm."

I just shook my head and laughed.

Once outside we stopped again, and I waited for Draco to put the stroller down so I could sit Josh in it.

"Nuh-uh-ah Hermione" he said to me. He pulled out his wand and muttered something while pointing it behind me. I turned around to find a carriage sitting there. I opened my mouth in shock.

"Is that even allowed?" I asked, turning back to him.

"I don't see anything going haywire, do you?" I shrugged and turned back to the carriage.

Draco caught up with me when I got there and helped me up, considering I still had Josh in my arms.

As I made sure Josh's hat was secure around his head, and his scarf was covering most of his face, Draco lay the stroller on the floor and then got in himself, and covered us all with a warm blanket.

"So your legs don't freeze," he explained winking to me.

------------PARENTS AT SEVENTEEN------------

I had made all of the purchases I needed and we were currently sitting in a new café, looking out of the window at all of the people passing by while sipping hot cocoa.

Most of the people we saw had their own babies, and were most likely buying gifts for Valentine's Day.

We mostly sat in silence, but at one point Draco spoke while looking out of the window. "I'm sorry Hermione, but that baby is just not cute."

"Draco, that's a horrible thing to say!" But I looked out of the window to see who he was talking about. "But you're right."

He gave a small chuckle, and a smile that I just loved. Oh, this was getting complicated.

He turned to me and started to speak again. "Hermione, could you do me a favor?" I only looked at him. "Could you help me find a gift for Christina? I mean, I'm not exactly and expert on giving gifts."

Extremely complicated.

"Um, sure, I'll help Draco."

We made our way outside where we started walking around.

"So what should I get her, do you think?" he asked.

"Why don't you get her jewelry?" I asked.

"But jewelry is so ordinary" he whined.

"Draco, it's a small village next to a school. What are you going to get her, jewelry, or joke toys?"

He thought for a moment. "Jewelry it is then."

By the time we were finished, he had bought an extremely beautiful necklace with a small heart pendant hanging from it.

"Do you think she'll like it?" he asked me as the cashier was wrapping it up.

"I think she'll love it," I answered softly.


	12. A Shift In the Wind

Chapter Eleven

**A Shift In the Wind**

------------PARENTS AT SEVENTEEN------------

The day of Valentine's Day roared bright and sunny. Draco was still asleep by the time I woke up, and so was Josh, so I went ahead and took a shower.

This year Valentine's Day came on a Saturday, so that meant I didn't have to deal with all of the loving glances in class that always seemed to happen on this day. I didn't know what Draco would do until his date this evening with Christina, and I really didn't have any plans for today myself.

After I had changed into some clothes I went into the room to notice Josh sitting up and looking at my bed with his mouth open; usually he was awake before me.

When I walked through the door, he gave me his brilliant smile and held out his arms for me to pick him up. Once I did, I gave him a hug.

"Are you going to be my valentine?" I asked him. All he did was smile and me and chew on his doll.

I laid him down on the changing table, which we had moved to our room some months back.

As I started changing his diaper, I smiled to him every now and then, and, like the smiling boy he was, he smiled right back at me.

"Dada" he said.

"No" I corrected him. "I'm mama."

He frowned for a moment, then smiled brightly again and copied me. "Mama."

"Yes" I said smiling back at him.

"Mama."

Hearing Josh talking to me, Draco finally woke up and lifted his head to look at the crib. Noticing Josh wasn't there, he looked around the room and found us. As he sat up, showing his bare chest (though I had gotten used to it, sharing a room with him), he said, "is he okay?"

"Yeah, I was just changing him." Finishing up, I picked Josh back up and sat him on my hip. "I'm sorry he woke you."

"No, it's fine" he said with a smile. He lifted his arms over his head and stretched. "I'm getting sort of hungry anyway."

With that he took the covers off of himself and went to grab some clothes. I took Josh with me out to the kitchenette to fix breakfast while Draco showered.

"It's almost ready" I said when he came back in.

He nodded and walked past me over to the cabinets. He took out some of Josh's finger foods and opened the container to give it to him. Josh took it happily and started eating.

"We need to get him some more of that soon, he's running out," Draco said to me as he took his seat at the table that was already made.

"Alright," I said as I flicked my wand and the pot flew through the air to serve us. I sat down at the table as I said, "I'll take him to Hogsmeade today and buy him some."

"You need to get yourself a boyfriend" Draco said and he poured himself some orange juice.

"But then who would Josh have to spend the holiday with?" I asked with a smile, even though inside I was sad, knowing he was right.

Draco just smiled and shook his head. "You know when you get older and have your own kids that you and your husband may just happen to have date night every now and then, leaving your child somewhere else?"

"Yes, but that's when I will be out of Hogwarts, where family can take care of him."

He shrugged and accepted the answer. "So how is your library job?" he asked.

"It's going good, I really am happier there."

"Good."

"So what are you going to do today, until your date?" I asked him.

"Oh, probably just sit around here."

"Won't that get boring, just sitting around all day?"

"No, our date starts at noon."

I looked at him curiously. "Why noon?"

"I planned this all day date type of thing. It starts with a light lunch on top of the astronomy tower, then some more stuff, and then the date is done."

"Oh. But isn't the astronomy tower kind of cold in February?" I asked.

"I know a charm to keep a bubble of warmth around us."

I nodded.

"I'll probably leave here around eleven."

"Okay."

------------PARENTS AT SEVENTEEN------------

I had been reading a book in the common room, and Josh was taking a nap in his playpen there when eleven o'clock came.

Draco walked out of the room tying his tie.

"Well, I'm off" he said while throwing his robe over one arm. "Don't wait up" he said with a smirk and a wink as he left through the portrait hole.

I shook my head as I looked down to find that Josh was waking up from his nap. Knowing he would be a little grouchy, I approached him softly and said, "do you want to go to Hogsmeade?" His only reply was to fall back asleep.

I shook my head and went back to reading my book.

------------PARENTS AT SEVENTEEN------------

It was another hour and a half of falling in and out of sleep before Josh was ready to stay awake. By now I was getting hungry again, so I grabbed more money to get some lunch.

But when I was in the room, I noticed a package on my bed. My eyebrows crossed in confusion, I went over to open the card on top.

_Dear Hermione,_

_I thought you could use these._

_Draco_

I then opened the package to find a long coat, and laughed as I finally realized the joke. I tried it on and it fit perfectly. It was red, probably for Gryffindor, and had fur all through the inside. It was form fitting around the waist, and looked wonderful when I looked at myself in the mirror.

I took it off, it was a bit warm for inside, and was about to put the lid back on the box when I noticed something else inside. There was another for Josh, this time it was blue. I smiled at the thoughtfulness.

I went back out to the common room where Josh was waiting for me, and put his new coat on him.

As we came outside, I couldn't help but be overwhelmed by an urge to look in on Draco and Christina's date. I bent down and looked like I was fussing with Josh inside of his stroller, but really I was looking up at the astronomy tower.

We were far enough away where it didn't look as if I was looking at them, but I could see them. And it looked as if Draco was looking in our direction, though I couldn't look at them clearly.

As I stood up, I raised my head, though normally, and saw that he was, in fact, looking at Josh and I. My heart raced.

Trying to stop the feeling that my heart gave me, and trying to act normal, I starting pushing Josh again, and off we went to Hogsmeade.

------------PARENTS AT SEVENTEEN------------

After that, everything went back to normal. Again.

Draco and Christina were still dating, and going stronger. And I was caught in the middle, though no one but Ginny, and now Harry and Ron, knew.

"Hermione, maybe you should tell him, to get everything out in the open" Harry suggested one time when I was having lunch with him, Ron and Ginny in Ron's dormitory. Lavender was a little late in showing up, so I had told them what was going on.

"It's not as easy as that."

"Well, what's making it so hard you can't tell him the truth?" Ron asked.

"I-I. I think I'm starting to like him."

This shocked the boys, but Ginny remained calm. Maybe she had suspected all along.

"Hermione" she said. "Maybe that's just more incentive to tell him."

All I could do was shake my head.

"Hey everyone" Lavender said and she came through the portrait. I wiped the few tears on my face and turned to her.

Later, Lavender pulled me aside. "Hermione, is it okay if Josh has a sleepover Saturday night? I think he and Kelly will both like having a companion for a while" she said with a smile.

"Sure Lavender. Why not?"

I just seemed to forget that Saturday night was the night Draco had a date with Christina. Which was all the better, I realized as I thought about it. With Josh, there was something in common with Draco. Without him, what was there?

------------PARENTS AT SEVENTEEN------------

I had planned to spend my night in solitude. I had just dropped off Josh to have his sleepover with Kelly, and Malfoy had left a while ago for his date with Christina, to which he would probably be gone the whole night, so that just left me. I said the password to our common room, and entered, preparing for night of sulking. But this was ruined when I saw who was sitting on the couch.

"Draco? I thought you had a date."

"I broke it off with Christina."

I was shocked. "Why?" I asked.

He shrugged as he looked into the fire. "I just wasn't feeling anything anymore. So I decided it was time to end it."

I just nodded, and sat down on the couch, still shocked.

And that was when everything started changing.


	13. Truthfully This Time

Chapter Twelve

**Truthfully This Time**

------------PARENTS AT SEVENTEEN------------

_**Confused?**_ Draco himself will be called Draco, and the Draco in the memory will be called Malfoy. Everyone else has their own names.

The change didn't happen until weeks later. Things had been going okay with Draco and I. Josh was happy as always, he was even learning to pull himself up and stand on his feet while holding on to something.

Draco and I were so proud.

I was surprised that Draco was so proud by this. I even asked him, "you're really getting into this whole father thing aren't you?"

"It's good practice for the future" he said as we watched Josh look around from a whole new perspective.

Josh finally saw us in his observations and smiled, turning one foot to face us.

"Here, let's try something" Draco said sitting up straighter. He held out his arms in Josh's direction, and said, "come here Josh."

Josh knew this act from when he had learned to crawl. But this time he looked down at his slightly unsteady legs and back over to Draco. Slowly letting go of the table, he walked alongside it to where Draco was sitting on the floor. He didn't go very far before falling.

He looked around, as if wondering what had happened. Then he looked back to Draco, who was smiling. Josh smiled back at him.

He had been walking the length of the table, so Josh used it again to pull himself up. He looked back at Draco and then slowly let go.

This pattern continued for a while until he finally reached Draco's open arms. Draco closed his arms around Josh and hugged him.

"Can't expect him to be perfect on his first try now can we?" Draco asked looking at Josh. "But hey, he's learning pretty quick isn't he?"

I nodded looking at the two. Call me crazy, but this is how I was starting to picture the rest of my life.

I knew I was falling for Draco Malfoy. I couldn't help but fall in love with him.

"Come on" said Draco standing up while holding Josh. "It's time for dinner."

We made our way downstairs and to our respective tables. Draco decided to have Josh eat dinner with him, so that left me and the others alone, since their partners all had their babies as well.

"I can't wait until this project is done," said Seamus as he sat near us. "I'm getting tired of all the cryin' babies laying around."

"Well just think Seamus" I said to him. "This project is going towards graduation credits. Once we get to the end of the year, all the babies will go away."

"Except yours of course" said Dean Thomas who had come to sit by Seamus. "Since he's your brother and all."

"Yeah."

"So how's Pansy Harry?" Ginny asked. Ever since she and Harry had started dating, she was a little upset by Pansy sleeping in the same room as her boyfriend. But not in an annoying way.

"She's fine" Harry said impassively, which was all it took for Ginny to drop the subject, satisfied.

"So when are you going to tell him Hermione?" Ginny asked quietly, only loud enough for me and Harry to hear her, seeing as Ron was talking with Lavender.

"I don't know. Things have been going onto a whole new level ever since he broke up with Christina." I looked over to see Draco playing with Josh while eating. I smiled. "Things are just kind of falling into place now."

"Hermione, you need to tell him," Harry said, softly trying to push me with his words.

"I know Harry. And I will. Soon."

------------PARENTS AT SEVENTEEN------------

That evening Josh had a sleepover set up with Arabella. I dropped Josh off, kissed him goodnight, and set off for my own dormitory.

When I opened the portrait hole, I noticed Draco was sitting on the couch, just staring into the fire. He looked up when I entered, smiled to me, and then went back to staring.

I had nothing else to do, so I decided to join him. I sat next to him on the couch, and stared, like him, into the fire.

"So how did your day go?" I asked him, just trying to make conversation.

He shrugged. "Normal. How was yours?" he asked looking at me.

"It was good," I said softly, staring at him. It was then, as I looked at him looking at me, as his features were lit up in the most fantastic way by the firelight, that I knew I was in love with Draco Malfoy. My once sworn enemy. And I was in love.

And then, the most amazing thing happened.

He must have been thinking something similar to me, because at that moment, Draco leaned over and kissed me.

Kissed me!

I had been waiting for this moment forever it seemed like. The moment he kissed me, my head suddenly cleared of all of the doubts and worries that had been keeping me up for months, and all I could think about was how wonderful this kiss was.

As he pulled away, he started apologizing. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry Hermione. I shouldn't have-"

"No. Don't you dare start apologizing. I feel the exact same way" I said smiling to him.

He stared at me for a moment, then smiled and started kissing me again.

"I knew I was starting to like you, and things just got worse with Christina. I was liking you more and her less, and I knew it was just time to break it off."

I looked at him as he explained these things to me, then smiled and leaned in for more kissing.

Then things got a little heated. There was touching in some places that weren't normally touched, and, well, I think you are getting the picture.

Soon we were walking toward the bedroom while kissing and taking of items of clothing. It was all very clumsy, but I didn't care.

As we plopped down onto the bed, both of us in nothing but our underwear, I stopped kissing him long enough to look into his face and say, "I love you Draco."

He stared at me for a moment, then gave this huge smile and said, "I love you too Hermione."

This time around, it was done the right way. I was in love, nothing bad was happening, and, the most important thing of all after my last ordeal, we used protection.

------------PARENTS AT SEVENTEEN------------

The morning after, I woke up to notice I was in his bed, laying next to him with his arm draped around me. And the clouds in my mind started to clear, and I realized the reality of everything.

I had just had sex with Draco Malfoy, my once sworn enemy, who was now the man I loved, and who didn't know he was the father of my child. I felt sick. He needed to know. I couldn't carry a relationship with him if he didn't know the whole truth to the story.

I got up and took a shower, then put on some clothes. I made myself some tea in the kitchen, and it wasn't long before Draco came up behind me , put his arms and me, and kissed the back of my neck.

"Good morning." He said. I smiled at the wonderful place I was in, then reality came creeping back.

I turned around to look at him. "Why don't you go take a shower, I want to talk to you."

He smiled and kissed me. "I'll be back."

When he did come back, I was our room waiting for him, sitting on my bed. He smiled as he sat on his bed and said, "what did you want to talk to me about?"

I didn't start immediately. "This is going to be hard for me to tell you."

He looked confused. "What is it?"

"You and I _have_ had sex before."

"Of course we have; we did just last night."

"No, we had sex before _that_."

He looked and me curiously. "Hermione, what are you talking about?"

A tear fell from my eye and I could barely choke out, "there's something I need to show you."

"A pensieve?" he asked, looking at the bowl I indicated laying on the dresser.

"Do me a favor, don't ask questions, just go inside."

He looked at me weirdly, then did as I said.

------------THIRD PERSON------------

Falling into the pensieve had to be one of the worst feelings in the world Draco had ever experienced. He honestly felt like he was going to fall forever, never knowing when it would end.

And then suddenly it did. His feet lightly touched the floor and all he could do was stand stark still until he could figure out what had happened.

He had never been inside of a pensieve before; this was all new to him. But when he finally looked around and noticed he was in a dark corridor in the Hogwarts dungeons, he breathed a sigh of relief.

Now don't misunderstand this; the dark dungeons, especially at night, could get scary. But not for Draco. He knew these corridors inside and out; he was the Slytherin Prince after all. This was his domain.

"Lumos!"

He turned sharply as he heard the whisper, not knowing who it could have been. But there, standing in front of him, was Hermione.

She was wearing her prefect badge over her Hogwarts robes and looking around, slightly uncomfortable. She walked straight towards him, though not seeing him. Draco, knowing he couldn't interfere, stepped aside quickly to let her pass, and then followed her.

_She must be doing her rounds _he thought, suddenly realizing why she would be here. He recognized her clothing. This was shortly after school had begun last year, she never wore that outfit again that year. _But why isn't she with anybody? These halls can be dangerous at night._

He followed on in silence. After all, no one could hear him, what would be the use? After nearly ten minutes of walking he was starting to get restless. Why would Granger bring him into her memory to just see her walking through the halls?

Just then someone leaped out of the shadows and grabbed her, holding their hand over her mouth so no one would hear her scream. She tried anyway, and her wails sounded muffled and hardly carried down the hall at all.

This mysterious person started walking, trying very hard to keep a struggling Hermione in tow. Draco followed with his mouth open in shock. Who would do something like this, right within the halls of Hogwarts? This was obviously a very serious matter by the look of it. So who would be foolish enough to try it?

He followed them for what seemed like hours, but was only minutes. Hermione continued to struggle the entire time, though neither of them could figure out who this third person was.

Finally the person stopped and opened a door along the wall, entering it with Hermione in tow. Draco walked in behind them quickly, before the stranger could shut the door.

Draco had figured out that this person was a man, and he watched as he put a silencing charm on the room, and turned around. Draco gasped and stepped back in horror.

He was watching himself kidnap Hermione.


	14. After the Truth

Chapter Thirteen

**After the Truth**

_**Confused?**_ Draco himself will be called Draco, and the Draco in the memory will be called Malfoy. Everyone else has their own names.

------------PARENTS AT SEVENTEEN------------

"Malfoy?!" Hermione herself was just as shocked. "What the hell do you think you're doing? I'm going to tell Dumbledore about this! Hell, I'm going to tell Snape about this!"

The Draco in the memory didn't even pay attention; he just moved forward with an evil look in his eyes.

Draco himself just stood there wondering, _what the hell is wrong with me? And why don't I remember this?_

Malfoy crept forward, closer and closer. It seemed to be like time was slower than normal, taking it's sweet time for it to get him to Hermione, who was backing up, and kept doing so until she suddenly ran into Professor Snape's desk.

They were in a potions classroom, Draco realized suddenly. But he still couldn't figure out why he couldn't remember this.

"Malfoy what is going on here?!" Hermione seemed to be getting desperate, and scared to top it off.

Malfoy stopped once there was barely an inch in between them, and just stood there, looking at her. Hermione was starting to shake where she stood, and Draco couldn't blame her. He didn't look like himself in this memory. Something was definitely wrong.

Then suddenly, Malfoy's lips came crashing down on hers. Hermione tried with everything to fight back, though even Draco could sense that she knew she couldn't do anything. Quidditch had made him strong, he could easily control her with little effort.

Malfoy's hands wandered down low, until they were on her thighs, and he lifted her so she was sitting on the desk. From this position Hermione found it was easier to kick him, but Draco blocked this by holding her legs with his elbows and her arms with his hands.

Draco couldn't watch this. What was wrong with him? He would never force himself on a woman, it was against his morals. But even still, he couldn't take his eyes off of the scene in front of him.

Malfoy ripped open Hermione's shirt, making buttons fly everywhere and the sleeves tear as he forcefully took it off of her. Ripping the front of her bra, he started kissing the tender flesh of her breasts, just as Draco had done the previous night, though this man was doing it forcefully.

Malfoy's hands slid down below Hermione's skirt and she wriggled again, though he kept her in place. Her panties flew as the man ripped them off, and he lifted up her skirt.

Malfoy had finally forced her into a laying down position on the desk. Hermione was squirming, and Draco was as well, knowing there was nothing he could do. Horror writ itself on his face as he saw himself rape Hermione Granger.

When the deed was finally done and Malfoy had climaxed, he hung his head next to Hermione's chest, breathing heavily.

Just then Draco heard the door slam open, and he and Hermione both looked up to see Professor Snape there, and got the shock of his life when he was Snape's face had a look that clearly stated he was upset.

The older man raised his wand towards the Draco in the memory and yelled out, "Obliviate! Stupefy!" Malfoy fell on top of Hermione, unconscious.

So that's why he didn't remember this. Snape had erased his memory of it.

The professor walked over to the pair lying on his desk. He lifted up Hermione's shirt that lay on the ground and lifted his arm to give it to her, avoiding looking at Hermione. Averting his eyes to the other direction, he levitated Malfoy off of her and over to a chair in the corner.

Hermione shakily sat up and made herself decent. She pulled her skirt down as low as it could go; her underwear was now lying on the floor. She also pulled her shirt together and locked her arms over it to keep it in place. She stepped off of the desk and stumbled her way away from it, still in pain from losing her virginity.

"I'm decent" she whispered, allowing Snape to finally look in her direction.

"I am truly sorry for this" he said, even looking it. Draco didn't blame him; the man was his godfather and therefore felt responsible for him, always had.

"Why did he do this?" Hermione asked with tears starting to fall from her eyes. Draco could feel his heart ripping out at the sight of it, knowing it was him who had caused this pain.

"It was Voldemort. He wanted to get to Potter emotionally and figured this was the best way to do it. Lucius Malfoy has been under the Imperious Curse every moment of each of Voldemort's reigns. He was to get his son to come to the Forbidden Forest, where Voldemort then put young Mister Malfoy here under the curse as well. He was supposed to kill you after he finished. I only found out about this just now, and came to find you, only I was too late. Please believe me when I say that Mister Malfoy would never have done anything like this on his own free will."

Hermione nodded her head, still in shock.

Draco could feel the scene changing, and suddenly he was in the hospital wing, with Hermione lying on one of the beds.

Madame Pomfrey was standing in the corner talking to Dumbledore, whispering something to him. They both looked in her direction and started walking over. Dumbledore had a sad look on his face when he started talking.

"Miss Granger, it seems there have been repercussions from Mister Malfoy's escapades, I guess you could say. I am sorry to tell you, that you are pregnant."

Draco stood there in shock.

Josh. Of course. Josh, was _his_ son.

He felt a hand on his elbow, and looked to find Hermione sadly looking at herself, as she started to pull him out of the pensieve.

------------FIRST PERSON------------

When we were back in the dorm, I turned to him, crying. "Voldemort never got to enjoy his success in finally getting me because Harry led an attack on him the next day while I was in the Hospital Wing saying I was sick. All of the teachers knew, Snape told them. I found out a month later that I was pregnant."

Draco just stood there in shock, not even looking at me.

"Say something, please."

Draco finally looked at me with his mouth open, but it didn't seem as if he was really seeing me. That was when he turned, and stumbled his way through the portrait hole.

------------PARENTS AT SEVENTEEN------------

I felt bad for all I had put on his shoulders, but I knew he just needed time to think this over. Problem was, I didn't know how much time he would take.

I went to pick up Josh from Ron's. For some weird reason, he and the others were already awake and hanging out. Ginny was holding Harry's baby, Arabella was sleeping in her playpin, and Harry was holding Josh.

"Hey Hermione" they greeted me as I came in.

"Hey guys."

"Hermione, what's wrong?" Ron asked when he saw my face.

"I-well." How much should I tell them about last night? "Well, Draco and I sort of kissed, and, yeah, um, I told him about Josh."

They immediately stood up.

"What did he say?" Harry asked.

"He was just so shocked about it he left, I think he went off to think about it."

Then, like the best friends they were, they all came up and gave me a hug.

------------PARENTS AT SEVENTEEN------------

It wasn't until the next morning when Draco finally showed up again. I was worriedly cooking breakfast for two, not knowing if he would be there. Josh was sitting in his high chair nibbling on his finger foods, without a care in the world.

Just then, the portrait opened, and in walked Draco Malfoy.

I just kind of stood there, staring at him, and, as he spotted me, he came over and stood in front of me.

"I really, really didn't want to believe this. I kept hoping that it was all just a bad dream. But then I realized I didn't remember anything about that night. It was completely wasted from my memory. So I just kind of put all of the pieces together and realized you had to be right."

Honestly, I couldn't believe all of this was happening. He finally knew.

"It all makes sense now. How you would always talk about Josh's father, but never referring to him as yours."

I nodded to him.

"But Hermione, why didn't you tell me earlier about josh? It's been almost a year now, that's plenty of time."

"I wanted the right time. Throughout the pregnancy I was still shocked about the whole situation. When the project started I kept thinking I had found the right moment, but just when I was about to act something would happen to make me stop. I suppose I was sort of scared to tell you. And then Christina came along," I looked down shyly. "And I sort of got jealous."

And then he hugged me. Then, the most amazing thing happened.

He turned to me and said, "I'm going to do this for Josh, and for us." He suddenly got down on one knee before me. "So, Hermione Granger, will you marry me?"

"Draco, that's wonderful and all, but I don't want you to marry me because you think you're obliged to because of Josh." It hurt me to say it, but it was true.

He only smiled very brightly at me. "I'm asking you this, Hermione, because I love you. Honestly."

As I started crying, I smiled back at him and said, "then yes, Draco Malfoy, I'll marry you."

He jumped up and hugged me. "Tomorrow we'll go into Hogsmeade and I'll let you pick out the ring you want."

And then we kissed.

------------PARENTS AT SEVENTEEN------------

My friends were all about congratulations. It's wonderful how they had accepted Draco and had welcomed him. Not with open arms, mind you, they still harbored some rough feelings towards him, but hopefully that would pass with time.

The rest of the school was a different story though. We had somehow managed to at least keep what had gone on between ourselves. That is, until Draco's parents had accepted what had happened and published our engagement news, and the fact that we had a child together, in the Daily Prophet. Then there was just all around shock.

They would come around, but Draco and I didn't care about them. Everything was going to be alright now.

A/n: EPILOGUE NEXT!


	15. The First of Many

Epilogue

**The First of Many**

------------PARENTS AT SEVENTEEN------------

pstibbons- yes, people were asking questions about it. But like I said in the last chapter, Hermione and Draco didn't really care about other people. They were just happy that everything was as it should be.

------------PARENTS AT SEVENTEEN------------

"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear Josh, happy birthday to you!"

My mum stopped right in front of where I was sitting holding Josh, showing the cake to him. He just kind of looked at. Considering it was only his first birthday, I didn't expect much difference. I leaned around him and flew out the fire on the single candle and everyone cheered.

Mum had decided to do the cake part first, I still don't know why. Dad was currently standing at the barbecue flipping hamburgers while talking to Mr. Weasley, Blaise, Draco and Lucius Malfoy, who himself was wearing muggle clothes.

Strange? I think so. But the strangest thing had to be that Lucius Malfoy and Arthur Weasley were standing in the same vicinity without hexing each other, though the air was a little tense.

Mum starting walking back into the house, followed by Narcissa who was currently talking to her about wedding stuff.

Harry, Ron, Ginny and Lavender were all seated at the table along with Bill, Charlie, and Bill's wife Fleur. I myself was sitting at the end of that table holding Josh, who was starting to get bored.

Fred and George were currently being told off by Mrs. Weasley for bringing some of their work to a party in a muggle neighborhood. Nothing out of the normal of course.

The barbecue had turned out wonderfully. My parents and I had planned it for Josh's first birthday so all of my friends could be there.

I was happy with the way things were turning out. The Weasleys and Harry were starting to be more friendly with the Malfoys and Blaise. I myself was getting married to the man I loved, and we had our son.

Nothing could be better than this.

I saw Draco standing off to the side with his parents. I stood up and walked over to Ron, placing Josh in his lap.

"Could you entertain him please? He's not having much fun right now."

"Well what am _I_ supposed to do?" Ron asked looking at me.

"You're supposed to be yourself" said George as he and his twin sat down by Charlie. "Trust me, his sides'll be hurting with as much laughter as he gets from watching you."

Everyone at the table laughed, and I smiled as I started walking towards the Malfoy family.

When I was close to them, I could hear what they were saying, though they didn't know I was coming up on them.

"Draco, I am very proud at the way you handled this situation" said Narcissa. "But are you sure you want to marry her? It's a very big decision dear."

Draco just smiled at his parents. "Loving Josh came naturally, loving Hermione came over time. But I am in love with her."

His parents smiled back to him. "We trust your judgment son" said Lucius to his son. "And we are proud of you."

That was when I reached them. They all smiled as they turned to me, and Draco wrapped his arm around my waist.

"I'm really sorry I didn't tell you" I said to the elder Malfoys as I turned to them.

Narcissa smiled again. "That's alright dear. You had your reasons." They both nodded to us and left Draco and I alone.

I turned to face him and wrapped my arms around his neck as he placed his other arm around my waist. Then I kissed him.

"I'm glad I'm marrying you" I said to him.

"I'm glad you are too."

"You know" I said smiling up at him. "When Josh was born, all the nurses took a vote, and they said that Josh was 'the most adorable baby to ever come into the nursery.' And apparently, they don't give out things like that casually."

"See!" said Draco happily. "He really is my son."

I laughed and he joined in with me.

"So what are we going to do now?" Draco asked me.

I looked up at my fiancé. "Well, we'll get married, you'll start your job at the ministry, and maybe I'll steal some money from my darling husband to build a library; one with a little café inside of it, where I'll spend my lunch breaks reading the latest book I've decided is worth my while. And about half of the year, I'll pack up myself and my beautiful little boy, leave my library in capable hands, and I'll travel the world with my husband, making my family cultured."

He smiled widely at me. "Sounds like a plan to me."

I smiled back at him. "Good."

We kissed again, and I knew I was happy. And as I looked over at Josh laughing merrily to one of Fred and George's tricks, I realized that this was my life-present and future.

Always.


	16. Here's To You

To _**pstibbons**_-Hermione is not a housewife. She is a librarian by day, then goes on trips with Draco to foreign places where she spends her time siteseeing with Josh and any other kids they may have while Draco is at work, then they all sitesee together.

I just wanted to say thank you to all of the people who reviewed, and all of the people who didn't review, but liked the story enough to come back and read it.

There will be no sequel, I usually don't write them. However, I will be starting a new fanfiction. It will either be about how Draco asks Hermione's help to woo the new girl on campus, and Hermione unwittingly falls for him, or it will be about an arranged marriage. Or I will post the story I'm going to start up on which is the only story I have ever had the idea to write that will have a sequel, about a Cinderella-type situation between Hermione and Draco. You can tell me which you prefer if you like. it might help.

So thanks again, and I'm glad you enjoyed this story.


End file.
